work life balance - Doubled Up

My son, Harry, has now completed his first full week in school (that is, mornings only) and is blissfully happy, but exhausted! He has a delightful teacher and is in a class with many of his friends from playgroup. He wil be going to school until 12pm for another three weeks, and will then have a week of going until after lunch before starting full time.

Personally, most of the work I do is from home, so the changes in time are not really inconvenient for me. I am pleased to enjoy his company in the afternoons for a few more weeks and he is really shattered when he comes home. I don't think he would manage staying until three in the afternoon. Yet I have heard so many mums complaining about how their child is "used to being in childcare from 8 until 5pm" so why can't they just go all day?

Whilst I can't understand why people want to let someone else look after their children form 8-5 while they work, I do appreciate that some people have to work for one reason or another. It's not that I don't understand how hard it can be to organise childcare, but I do think that these mums are losing track of who's important here. Starting school is a big deal for children - it's not the same as full-time playgroup. I think that it is great that our school thinks about the children's wellfare and not the parents' convenience, but I do feel sorry that teachers and the head have to deal with complaints from people who should just see it as a few weeks in which they have to make different arrangements in the best interest of their own children.

I have just read the SENCO blog and I can really empathise. This week seems to have been a killer for staff, pupils and parents alike. Waiting to drop off the children, the parents are all talking about how they can't wait to have a break from the drop off/pick up routine (I know that I have had enough of nagging about cleaning teeth, getting dressed, putting on shoes etc). At the end of the day, at least one child per classroom greets their parent with either tears, a strop or a stamping of feet (or, in Milly's case, a mixture of all three!). And the teachers all look drained of every ounce of energy, although they are battling on with smiles on their faces!

As a parent, you hear about what is going on in the last week of term and may be tempted to think that it is a bit of a 'jolly' for the staff - music competitions, sports day, final assemblies etc. Yet, if you look more closely, the usual teaching and learning is going on and all of these extra things need organisation of their own. And, of course, the children are tired and grumpy too.

Our Kindergarten and Reception children had their sports day today. Unfortunately, the rain started about ten minutes before kick off. It drizzled while the children each completed one race, then the Head called off the remainder of the event. Of course, the rain stopped about ten minutes after the children had gone back in! When my own little one wasn't racing, I watched the staff and was impressed by their enthusiasm as they herded the children to the start line, collected them at the end and jollied along those who had not won a sticker. And, of course, once the rather damp parents had disappeared, the staff was left to deal with the tidying away of the sporting equipment and chairs and the disappointed children.