Standing in the queue in Matalan this week I suddenly
realised that ‘rites of passage’ are for grown-ups, as well as kids.
This year Molly left school and is heading off into her gap
year and all the fun that will hold; and Alice left school to enter 6th
Form and the challenge of A levels. Which left me with the challenge as I stood
in that queue of the realisation that I would never stand there again with
handfuls of school shirts, skirts, socks, and jumpers. In addition there would
be no more shopping for pencil cases and school bags; and no more stitching in
name labels.
My status as a mother and provider has moved on, I am no
longer the parent of school age children – how can that be when I am only 28?
It’s been fun, I’ve learnt a lot, which I guess I just file
away now in order to pass it on at some time in the future to my girls when
they have their families. The school age parent trade secrets such as:
· Always buy uniform a couple of sizes too big so
that it lasts the whole year – especially the expensive school blazers.
· If you have to label stuff go for the fancy
embroidered labels, and if you have more than one child who will get the
hand-me-downs, then get the labels so the say ‘Molly DRYDEN Alice’, then when
you sew them in they cover both children.
· It’s annoying that Asda’s shirts are so cheap,
but ultimately M&S’s stay whiter longer so worth the investment.
Ah the list is extensive and I pray that I will be able to
remember them all.
Part of me is glad those days are over, especially the
having to keep the white socks white bit – it was never my gifting. But the
other part of me is mourning school gate chatter, PTA meetings, school fetes,
school holidays and routine.
Guess I have to finally give in to the fact that I am a
grown-up, and I’m really not sure that I want to be yet!
