Words like “Primary One”, “first day of school” and “transition” somewhat have the uncanny ability to set off both the parents and their pre-school kids into a frenzy, and to turn especially the parents into a bundle of nerves.
 
Here are some light-hearted but real takes on the rollercoaster of emotions that almost every first-time parent of a Primary One child faces on the first day of school… 

  • Rrrrrinnnng! Your body isn’t quite used to the sound of the alarm going off at 5am. So, press the snooze please. Oh wait, no, I can’t let my kids be labelled a latecomer on their first day of school! Parental instinct wins.
  • The heart-stopping moment when it hits home that THIS is the day that the whole family has been preparing and waiting for.
  • Stay-at-home mums, you’re already relishing the thought of an empty, mess-free and quiet home… albeit just for the morning.
  • Level of frustration skyrockets when your kids choose of all times, to have difficulty understanding simple instructions and to top it off with dilly-dallying during those few hours of mad rush.
  • Frustration level just shot through the roof when their endless whining starts…
  • Fussing and over-packing their snack boxes because your thousand and one questions regarding the school canteen’s food aren’t answered by the school’s list of FAQs – and it’s only Day 1.
  • Despite the rush, you’d make sure to get that priceless first-day photos from every single angle possible—to be proudly shared with every relatives and friends via social media.
  • The mad rush to double, no, triple-check to ensure that your kids brought all the stuff they need. 10 pencils and 5 erasers - checked. A box of plasters - checked...
  • You achingly realise that saying goodbye is harder for you than for them. And with that, you feel the urge for one (or more) last hug, last-minute prep talks, and reiteration of the to-do list.
  • As you watch your children walk tentatively but excitedly into the school, your heart swells with pride when it struck you that your baby has grown up, and in 6 years’ time, they’d graduate and move on to Secondary School, and on to a University, and so on… you get the drift. 

Parents who have taken these rides, be it a merry-go-round or a thrill ride like rollercoaster, will all laugh in agreement when they look back at their first day of Primary School experiences.