Tuesday 31 January 2017

School Life!

My little boy is growing up. School is changing him. I've been noticing over the last couple of months that no longer before me is a small, needy child but a young, independent lad, growing up fast, developing and finding his way in the world. He's becoming more his own person, gaining a new found confidence which he struggled to find previously and he's really starting to . He's got an attitude to match mind. This attitude is like a teenage mind-set in a nearly five year olds body. He's shot up in height, his legs, bless him are like little twiglets but he's suddenly gained an extra foot in height since starting school, I'm certain.



On Friday he received a head teacher award for good hand writing and phonics. I was absolutely gutted that I wasn't at celebration assembly to see him receive it but when I heard I was so proud I could have popped. We've been working with him fairly hard on his writing and ready so for his hard work to pay off I was so pleased. We'd had a rocky few weeks with a variety of issues, not so much with learning but with his attitude and learned behaviour from another child that I was seriously beginning to doubt whether he was going to achieve at school. I think him receiving this award has given him a bit of a spring in his step and boosted both our morale and his and I think he now realises that if he strives to succeed and do well, good things happen (i.e a trip to Toys R Us!).

He has a better social life than us, invites for parties are coming in thick and fast now and it was apparent at the latest party that he attended last weekend that his new found confidence is evident. Rather than the clinging, shy limpet that we usually have, he was off running about with his friends and not paying much attention to us. It was refreshing to see and I was relieved to see that actually ,perhaps he's not the social outcast that I was worrying he might have been.

We've had a handful of incidences where he seems to like playing with one particular child. This child he is friends with seems to have some social issues and is allowed to watch things that we wouldn't generally allow Alfie to at home (such as computer games like Grand Theft Auto and Halo), this has meant that there has been some bad language learnt, lots of gun play (much to my dismay) and an interest in being violent (like in GTA we are told by Alfie). We've had to have a chat to the teacher a couple of times to try and get them to encourage Alfie to integrate and bit more and play with other children which thankfully he is doing. We have had less of the wanting to play pretend gun games and have him back to enjoying more suitable playing shall we say, like with his trains and animals.




It's been as much of a learning curve for us aswell as for him. We've had to get used to phonics and blending and a different way of  handwriting in preparation to join up. It is incredible to see how far he's come in a such a short space of time. Before starting school he had no interest in writing and he couldn't really read at all. Now he's getting rewarded for his hand writing and starting to make simple sentences and his letter and word recognition is fab. He loves role playing school and we often have to get involved (he's usually the teacher and we are the pupils haha), he knows more about space and the universe than I ever could and he generally has a big smile on his face at the end of the day.




It's hard to believe that it's nearly February half term and Alfie is nearly 5 months into school, he really is a different boy to what he was last year, I know they say school changes them but I wasn't expecting it to be quite so dramatic. At the beginning of the school year I always though the EYFS lot looked so teeny tiny compared to the rest of the school but now they all seem to have grown a foot and are an integral part of the school. I'm really loving watching him develop and learn lots of new skills and making a little friendship group. I'm not so much enjoying the tiredness and grumps that come after school but I guess being nearly 5 and learning lots is tiring business, good job he's enjoying it because he's got a fair few school years ahead of him eh!


Best of Worst

35 comments:

  1. Aw glad he's getting on well now. It's frustrating when they don't mix with your chosen crowd!...

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  2. Ah bless him, they grow up so fast when they start school and it's like going back to school for us as we have to understand their teaching methods. Phonics threw me a bit and I did wonder what Ella was going on about at times!! Our school doesn't do celebration assemblies for parents to attend, which is a shame, but Ella loves going up to collect certificates. What is it with kids and stickers! Well done Alfie!!! Thanks for hosting #bestandworst

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  3. Aw this made me feel all emosh!! He's growing up bless. Sounds like doing so well with school work and glad you got round that new friend ! Gta at 4 or 5?? Mad! Xx #bestandworst

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  4. That's so cute. Little man having busy days at school. Good for him! I'm glad he has adjusted so well. I think parents tend to not give their little ones enough credit. Maybe it's because we secretly don't want them to grow up. #bestandworst

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  5. Ah what a lovely post. My little boy won Star of The Day at pre-school a few weeks ago for counting, honestly it was like he'd won an Oscar. It was the highlight of my week by far! #bestandworst

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  6. The same happened with BB - she seemed to suddenly grow up overnight and wasn't my baby anymore! Now she’s in year one she's a proper little girl #bestandworst

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  7. Sounds like he is killing it! Love his proud smile :)

    #bestandworst

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  8. I can't believe he's nearly finished half a year of school! What a great thing to get an award for, such important skills. It sounds like he's doing really well. #bestandworst

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  9. Aww look at him! He looks to be doing so well, and yay for the headteachers award! I have noticed so many changes in Eva, just looking at her she seems to have grown from a baby into a proper big girl in five short months. I'm not sure I like that! #bestandworst

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  10. They grow up so quickly don't they! It's great you all worked so hard together and he did so well!

    #BestandWorst

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  11. Time goes so quickly Helen well done on his award the girls have changed so much and are now more confident fab post thanks for hosting #bestandworst

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  12. Oh, that award for hand writing and reading is brilliant :) I don't blame you for being chuffed.

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  13. Ahh lovely post. I get quite emotional to think of my baby at school! But it will happen soon I'm sure. The first 6 months have flown by! #bestandworst

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  14. Well done on his head teacher's award #Bestandworst

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  15. Aw bless him, what a clever little man! x #bestandworst

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  16. Ahh bless him. Alfie's are the best ;)
    A big well done to him on his headteachers award, you must be so proud of him!
    They do grow up so quickly. I'm trying to avoid the thoughts of my Alfie going to school...
    #Bestandworst

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  17. Isn't it funny how quickly school can change your child - my son has only been going for 4 weeks and it's almost as though he is a different boy - so much more grown up, able to handle difficult situations and learning to get along with others! #bestandworst

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  18. It's great that he's enjoying it. We had a real battle with my son and there were tears every morning for the first couple of years (although he was always fine once he was there). It is incredible the change in them during that first year, it flies by so fast x
    #Bestandworst

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  19. School indeed transforms our kids (mine is still at pre-school and I'm already seeing so many changes!!!). It's lovely to see them grow and learn each day...
    #bestandworst

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  20. So please that Alfie is doing well at school. Such a lovely post to read #bestandworst

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  21. My son has completely changed. He arrived at school refusing to draw or write, wouldn't even hold a pencil and unable to read. Now he's in year 2 and throws himself into his work. I'm very proud! #bestandworst

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  22. Lovely post, school really does change them! My little boy was born 2 hours before the cut off date so he started 6 days after he turned 4! I didn't think he was ready but a year in and he's doing amazing! his attitude mind is on a whole new level!!

    #thatfridaylinky

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  23. Ahh! They seem to grow up so quickly when they start school. It sounds like your boy is doing so well!
    #WotW

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  24. So glad that Alfie is doing so well at school and well done to him on getting a headteacher award for handwriting and phonics. What a proud moment for you :-) #WotW

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  25. Well done Alfie, it sounds like he's doing well. It is the mixing with other children and learning things that we wouldn't normally expose them to that is hard to deal with. I remember my little girl having nightmares because her school friends had discovered zombies and wanted to play zombie games all the time. Things do settle in the end though x

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  26. It's amazing how they change when they go to school. It sounds like Alfie is doing really well. Thanks for linking up to #ThatFridayLinky

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  27. Aw such a lovely update and glad to hear he is doing so well. So funny that we both wrote a similar update at a similar time! It's amazing how much they change in these first months isn't it? I can get over how different my Monkey is. Glad to hear he is getting more friends, Monkey had some friend difficulties recently but seems to have found some more friends recently and is settling down a bit better xx

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  28. Ah, he's doing so well! I remember being amazed by how quickly my girl picked up reading and writing, it is wonderful to see, isn't it? You've also given me hope that my shy boy will be fine starting school this year, thank you x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

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  29. It's great to read that he's doing so well and has clearly got his passions. The whole phonics thing has me wondering whether I need to learn a whole new way of saying the alphabet. #bestandworst

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  30. Sounds like a positive start and yes it does tire them out when they are so young. He will find his way as we all do in life. My late Mum always said it is pointless trying to stop the gun play as they just do it naturally and she brought kids up in the fifties long before violent video games etc.

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  31. Its so lovely to reflect and see how far kids have come when school is involved. Its amazing how just a few hours a day can make them come on leaps and bounds in every aspect of their life. So lovely to see his hard work is being recognised too! Keep it up little man! #PoCoLo

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  32. Thanks for linking to the #THAT FRIDAY LINKY come back next week please

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  33. Look at his face with his award - he's so proud, and so he should be! I just know this will be us this time next year when Little Man starts school this year. He is already growing up so fast, I'm scared about it all in all honesty. Why can't they just stay little forever?! #bestandworst

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  34. Ohmygoodness, I have NO idea what I would do if my son was exposed to Grand Theft Auto at a friend's house?!? Intervening is akin to implying that the parents' judgment is off. I think it's a good idea to encourage other friendships. (He's cute as a button, by the way!) #bestandworst

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  35. He does look like he's growing up too, less of a baby face, although he'll always be your baby. It's interesting to hear you're learning too though, that's something you don't think about is it? Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo x

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