The Birth of a New Term!

BritMumInNZ

A new term has started. We’re half way through the academic year here in New Zealand. The alarm clock was set for 7am on Monday morning. The petrol tank in the car was filled. The name labels ironed, stitched and stuck on boxes, shoes, bags and clothes. The mileage on the clock has already increased. The taxi driving duties have commenced. Lunch boxes are dutifully packed each day.

1 August 2011 back to school term 3

Charlotte’s started a new school. A school with a uniform (that cost a ridiculous sum and we are trying not to think of the romantic holiday for two in Fiji we could have bought instead). Our days of romantic get-aways will have to wait… and wait some more. We are in the years of parental sacrifice. It’s amazing what you’d never think you’d give up until you’re faced with the unconditional love of a child to care for, nurture and help to guide on the long journey from babyhood, through the toddler years and the junior school years, to teenagers, young adults and beyond.

The notice board in our kitchen has all the week’s activities marked in ink. The children feature prominently. This week Dan has two small mentions – Beervana on Friday night and a game of soccer on Saturday afternoon. I commented to my oldest two that perhaps Mummy really ought to appear somewhere. It’s not that I don’t have anything to do… but cleaning, cooking, washing, taxi driving, bag packing, organising etc. don’t feature highly on the white-board – they just happen. The girls faces looked momentarily compassionate. I penned in ‘Mummy goes for a jog or a swim’ on Sunday. We shall see…

Sophie and Alice are in my sole care for the majority of the day (and night).

Sophie is enjoying home-schooling (if we could afford it, she’d probably enjoy Charlotte’s new school too, but we can’t).  Until we win Lotto or make our millions (power of positive thinking and the law of attraction and all that ‘The Secret‘ suggests; Ask. Believe. Receive.), we’re feeding her mind, nurturing her heart and taking her for a large dose of physical exercise every day (and she’s a much better catch at frisbee than I am!). We spend a few hours of every day reading, writing, doing maths. She’s a keen learner and a joy to teach. We work well together.

Alice is playing well alongside our activities and we usually manage to find a way to include her. And we schedule in toddler time for her too (in between running her big sisters to their individual hobbies).

A new term, a new school and back to school at home too!

The beginnings of new friendships will be born, new ideas ignited and interests discovered. As parents we will watch as the children that were born to us grow and develop in ways that will surprise, delight, entertain and, occasionally, test us.

We’re only half way into the first week of term 3. It’s early days, but everyone is upbeat, positive and smiling so far.

Our children were born to learn. Born to smile, to toddle, to walk and talk.

With love, care, time and individual attention to their characters we will hopefully guide them through the journey into adulthood with that innate lust for learning intact and strong for ever more.

Here’s to a great term!

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Linking up to ‘The Gallery’ where the theme is ‘Birth’

Please visit to see what other people have written about and
photographed in their interpretation of the theme.

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19 thoughts on “The Birth of a New Term!”

  2. This reminds me of our family – the eldest (18) is in private school (the uniform, fees and other expenses cost the same as an Italian holiday) and our youngest (16) is homeschooled.:) It sure keeps me very busy!

  3. Oh wow, always great to hear other families tailoring their childrens education to suit their individual personalities. You’re a lot further down the track than us. It’s not easy, but we can only do what our instincts, hearts (and pockets!) allow x

  7. Oh look at her in that uniform which will last years!!  My eldest trotted off to private school this year in an equally over sized uniform, it’s the ONLY way to get bang for your buck & in my case, long term investment when her sisters start in a couple more years.  I love that you say your children were born to learn, mine are sponges too, even from Kindergarten reports the comments all say “extensive general knowledge” & i just think, really, we just talk & answer all of their questions.  Enjoy the new experience, i sure am, we’ve kicked off term 3 with our eldest being awarded the Semester 1 Academic Award, twins chosen for Tournament of the Minds & our son is on the SRC, 3rd year running.  Fear not, they are not just nerds, they are uber sporty too, love watching them grow, love Posie
    http://posiepatchworkblog.blogspot.com/

  8. Phew !!….what a busy time but all sounds good…our three precious grandchildren are all doing amazing things and their love for learning new things and enjoying their hobbies is lovely to read about along with the pictures…well done too to their precious mum and dad who are doing amazing things too!!

  9. Lovely pictures. This will be us in a month’s time- except we have three at school in uniform;Home schooling definitely wouldn’t work for us! No fee paying schools here, it’s State all the way here.

  10. All your children look very happy ineach photo. It’s a great take on this weeks theme and I love how you have 3 different schools within your household. Xx

  13. hope its a good new term for you all

    Charlotte looks very smart 🙂

    remember my daughter (18) went to school, had 2 and 1/2 years of home schooling, went back to school, did an introductory course to ece teaching and next year will start getting her bachelor in ece

    Billy has been home schooling for about 4 years

    Daniel is at a very good primary school 

  14. Thank you Jen x

    Charlotte sure does look smart and is loving it.There’s certainly not ‘one school fits all’ and their educational path will change as they develop. Sounds like you’re very in-tune with your children’s needs and ensured they have flexibility in their learning, just as life’s path is a winding road.

  15. Thank you! I was so fortunate to grow up in a place with a wonderful junior and senior state school, where uniforms were the norm and there was a great breadth of activities to partake in – sports, choir, music, art, languages.. all without the fees! 

    Our local primary school here in NZ is lovely, but our oldest daughter was craving more breadth of learning opportunities. We’ve had to pull our belts in (so to speak) but we really think this is the best ‘fit’ for our oldest daughter at the current time.

  16. Tee hee, yes very ‘over-sized’ for just the reasons you say. 

    Lovely to hear about your children thriving. If business goes well for hubbie we would love to give our other daughters the opportunity to join their big sister, if they so desire. For the moment they are young (18 months and five and a half) so we have some time on our side (and more saving to do!).

    At the end of the day we just want them to be happy – whether that’s the local school, home school or private school (where we can afford the option). Our children’s happiness, well being and self-esteem is above and beyond anything else, naturally x

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