It’s been one of those weeks where the beginning of it already feels so long ago. Probably because this has been a week of big changes and transitions for our whole family.
We took advantage of the sunny evenings and slow mornings and, after dinner one evening, we walked to the beach as a family for a windy time of throwing rocks and sticks in the ocean.
Monday was Labour Day and the last day before school started so Peter and I wanted to have one final “hurrah” of summer vacation. We put the kayak on the car and drove up to Pender Harbour to Ruby Lake. We launched at the public beach and paddled around a bit before stopping at a small island. After exploring the island, we had a picnic lunch and went swimming. We paddled around a little more, visited one more lunch and headed home, satisfied that we were ending the summer well.
That evening we had friends over for dinner. A very good friend of mine moved overseas a few years ago with her husband and their four kids. They haven’t been back to Canada for four years and were finally able to return for a long visit. I got a chance to see her in the spring but this was our first time getting all of our kids and families together. They brought a lot of salmon they caught on Vancouver Island and we had a delicious meal together.
Tuesday was the first day of school and back to work for Peter. Pearl had a short day and Rose didn’t have to go at all so she and I spent some time at a park nearby and explored the creek.
The next day Pearl had her first full day of grade two and Rose started kindergarten! The first two weeks are gradual entry so she only went for an hour but was so excited and happy to be there.
The week was a bit fragmented for me as I had to drop Pearl off at her normal time, hang out with Rose for an hour before dropping her off, then pick Rose up an hour later, go home with Rose to have lunch and hang out for a couple of hours, and then go back to school and pick up Pearl. With covid restrictions lifted, I feel like I’ve been inside that building more this week than the entire two previous years. I have no beef with the restrictions the schools in BC set in place the past 2 years but it feels really good to have a normal start.
On Friday the girls got their class and teacher assignments and they are both really excited about that too. Any of the teacher choices would have been great but I’m happy with who they each ended up with and Pearl has the friends she hoped would be in her class and I already know several of the families with kids in Rose’s class. I think it’s going to be a great school year for them both.
Anybody else figuring out a new schedule with the start of school?
Karissa Reads Books 
I am signed up for three classes, but one meets online 5x per semester and the rest is self-driven online. I also needed to find a separate class and senior partner so we could practice our interpreting. It’s a requirement, but was a squiggly spot in my schedule for the first week! I’m also trying to figure out how to fit in friends, blogging, clubs, and mentor meetings. So yes, the first week of school felt bonkers.
When I went to Kindergarten, it was always half days. Some kids were morning, some were afternoon. But now my nephew is in Kindergarten, and it’s just all day every weekday. I think parents can’t afford to put their kids in daycare or get a baby sitter, and a schedule that has parents running back and forth wouldn’t work.
Those first days of schedule sorting in university were stressful! I hope you’ve been able to fit in everything you need to/want to.
Full day kindergarten was introduced about 15 years ago here and yes, I think it’s primarily because most families need that day care for their kids. When I went I was full day but only every other day but I went to a private school. Does your nephew do gradual entry? Here they don’t start full day immediately but increase a bit every week for the first 3 weeks.
My nephew did not do gradual entry. Also, I forgot that after they did away with the half days I did as a kid, they did the every other day thing you mention. I’ll bet that was a daycare nightmare. Now it’s just all day every weekday. He must be a tired little bugger when he gets home.
Rose requested a nap yesterday and that was just a half day! The gradual entry seems really drawn out but I also think it’s a good thing and helpful for a lot of the kids.
We’re gearing up for the arrival of the new students at present – teaching starts again in earnest on 26th September, although teaching never exactly stops during nursing courses! Most of my friends are primary or secondary school teachers and they are teaching again already, so this is always a strange time of year – maybe my quietest time of year compared to their busiest, because lots of my colleagues are taking their annual leave right now.
My goddaughter started school at the start of the month and seems to be having a great time so far – she’s so excited about everything, which is just lovely.
I love the excitement of little kids starting school! They just have so much energy and joy over it (mostly). I didn’t get to spend time with Pearl’s class as a whole because she started in 2020 under very strict covid restrictions so I’m really enjoying the opportunity to be in the school that I have now with Rose.