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Starting School

I started blogging just after Toby turned one, so it seems hardly possible, but my little chap is off to big school for the first time this week. He is joining his sisters at the little school in the village.

We are as ready as we will ever be in terms of the stuff we need for school, and having a boy after two girls, there is a lot of stuff. We bought school shoes at the end of December, well before the back to school rush, and I have his little shorts, shirts, and jackets all ready. He made a library bag with Nan when we visited the mountains, and he has a bag which looks way too big for him, though of course it’s just that he is still small. I spent an hour on Monday labeling everything. With two weeks of swimming lessons to start the year, even his undies needed labeling.

Starting School

So far as school goes, Toby is not that interested. To him the farm is far more important and exciting, and who is going to run the farm properly once he goes to school? What will Dad and Pa do without him? It is a legitimate concern. Having said that, I know that he is ready for some more formal education. He writes his name on his books and papers (though some times he writes Ybot – he doesn’t believe that the letters have to be in particular order), and loves stories and art, and tries to count to 100 (though the 70s-90s get a little hazy). Yep, he is ready. On Sunday he wrote his name with a permanent marker on his toy guitar after seeing a clip of Colin Buchanan signing a guitar.

Starting School-2

It’s going to be quite a shift for our whole family having all the kids at school. Country Boy will have a little more time on his hands, but as the farm takes all hours as you want, his “spare” time will certainly be taken up. 2016 is our only year with all three kids at one school. Hannah is in Year 6, Meg in Year 3.  Suddenly the years are flying past. I no longer have little ones, and though we are in the golden times (no toddlers, no teens), I want it all to slow down.

Toby might be ready for school, but I’m not sure I am ready for him to go.

Do you have a little one starting school this year? Any advice for us as we transition to having no little ones at home?

 

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Comments

  1. Erin says

    January 27, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    Can’t believe it either! I’ve been reading you for most of that time, where has it gone?!
    Wishing Toby a wonderful day and year!! Enjoy having them all in the one spot this year 🙂

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:51 pm

      Thanks Erin – doesn’t time fly!

      Reply
  2. Emma - a simple living journey says

    January 27, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    My middle son starts school next week also. Book collection is Thursday along with uniforms. Shoes are bought, socks are bought….Im excited for him as he is excited but he is still so young in himself I worry! he has speech delays and I suspect learning issues. My dear sweet boy! Such a delightful little fellow, I hope his gentle nature is not overlooked by his issues in big school, and that he is not left behind!

    Good luck with the new school year!

    xx

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:52 pm

      Thanks Emma – it’s always a little nerve wracking sending them off!

      Reply
  3. letmebefree says

    January 27, 2016 at 10:58 am

    My daughter starts kindy next week and I am very excited as she is ready for it!! Will be weird to be just home with one child. Hope the first day of school goes well for you.

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:53 pm

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  4. jan2132 says

    January 27, 2016 at 8:46 am

    Your big boy is just starting. My biggest boy, grandson, starts Year 12 today. He hopes to have enough driving hours in his logbook to go for licence next week.

    I can tell you that Toby will too soon be just like Andrew and you will wonder where the time went.

    Miss M has just the best news to start year 6 with. Remission,formally , from acute leukaemia. Monthly checks but no more chemo. Checks will go on well into adulthood, but we rejoice in this news and are so grateful.

    The other grandchildren fit in around these two.

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      January 27, 2016 at 9:54 pm

      Sounds like you have good news all round 🙂 Congratulations!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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Summer holidays seem a million years ago already. Summer holidays seem a million years ago already. It’s all systems go here as we try to get our rhythm going. School and work are busy, community events are coming back, and our harvest is in full swing. It’s a lot to manage. No matter how busy we are, I’ve been prioritising my evening walk. Sometimes C or the kids come with me and we talk and make plans, and sometimes I go alone, with a podcast for company. Either way, the golden hour is always breathtakingly beautiful and I snap way too many pics. None of them ever fully capture the magic, but I can’t help myself. I mean look!!! 😍
The kids have been wanting to build a raft for the The kids have been wanting to build a raft for the dam for a while. They collected some old barrels and pallets, and got some rope to lash it all together. This morning they put it together and floated it out into the middle of the dam. Plenty of magical days to be had playing on the dam ahead of us!
The orchard doesn’t stop. We’re getting basket The orchard doesn’t stop. We’re getting baskets and baskets of fruit each day and I’m running out of things to do with it all. I’ve taken quite a few to work to give away. I’ve made jams and pastes and chutney. I’ve cooked and frozen apricots and nectarines for fruit crumble this winter and dehydrated plums and apples for lunch boxes. The pantry and freezer are filling up.
I woke up yesterday and it was raining - a perfect I woke up yesterday and it was raining - a perfect time to deep clean. I dusted, de-cobwebbed, sorted, wiped, scrubbed, vacuumed and washed. Of course it will stay this way for 34 seconds, but it’s nice while it lasts.
We’re slowly (verrry slowly) getting back into t We’re slowly (verrry slowly) getting back into the swing of school and work. I think C might secretly be glad we’re leaving him each day so he can get through the many jobs that he always has at this time of year. He’s fencing and slashing thistles and drenching the lambs and a thousand other things that need to be done to keep the farm ticking over. In the evenings he often joins me on my walk and we talk about our plans for the garden and farm. We’ve had a lot of rain over the past few days and the air is so clear and the evening light is amazing. I keep stopping to take photos.
Late summer harvest is coming in. I’ve got tomat Late summer harvest is coming in. I’ve got tomatoes, stone fruit, corn, and even early apples sitting on my bench needing to be dealt with. I’ve got a big pot of tomato passata on the stove (I need to make at least 50 jars this year) and I went through our jams and pickles and made a list of what I need to make this year. Next week I will get out the dehydrator and start drying fruit for snacks and muesli. It’s all systems go!

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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