Starting School

Well, that's it, little a is launched into the world and my days of intricate details of what she's been up to and whether she's earned a smiley face today are done.

From now on it'll be all grunts and cryptic comments, in response to my probing questions about what she had to eat (why do we care? My mother still asks me that as one of the first things when I tell her I've been somewhere. It's still annoying. I am vowing not to ask it. Ever. Like saying 'haven't you grown! No no I shan't I shan't, however tempting and true it might be).

Working mumness means school gate duty has been delegated to fithusband and the grandparents so far. How heartbreaking is that? I didn't even see her in her uniform on the first day, and I'm gleaning everything secondhand from everybody, with varying degrees of success.

Anyway I think she likes it. Her only assessment on day one 'I didn't have lunch' - I guess I take this as a positive sign, that she wanted to stay for longer. And on day two 'I wasn't shy'.

Grandma tells me little a met the cook today, and knows her teachers' names. Grandma has also befriended half the mums at the gate already. Many more years of probing-question experience. I know it will take me at least until half-term to reach the same stage of schoolgate-integration.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying I'm very pleased I tracked down a copy of the Ahlberg's Starting School. It doesn't have the captivating charm of Each Peach or Burglar Bill, but it's a lovely straightforward tale of what to expect from your first school days, and reading it with little a last night I felt I had some sort of vicarious insight into this week's momentous events.

Certainly a different league from the execrable Disney creation Cinderella Plans Her Wedding which came in the post from princess G today. The special new pencil case and beautifully written good luck card just about managed to balance out the pain of "with friends by your side, anything is possible!"

And I just know which of the two will be favourite bedtime reading in the nights to come ...