School days...Part the Second

Lolly is in Prep this year, which here in Brisbane is our first year of school.  She goes to a democratic independent school, which has just been amazing.  Thought I'd share a few shots of school awesomeness.

On the BIS tree.

In the end of term art show!

Flying kites at pick up time with some friends.

Dress up Day!  (Cleo from Clifford, the Big Red Dog)

Cheeky.

School Days

Lolly has started Prep at school!  She's doing great, and the school is wonderful.  It's an Independent school with a small group of students, Lolly has only 13 kids in her combined Prep and grade 1 class.  She's doing really well, and loving the play and learning.

I'm doing okay, it's a big change for everyone.  Here are is a non-specific picture of the awesomeness of her school grounds.  It's a whole new world!

Senior!

Smash is back to school as a Grade 12 Senior!  Here he reluctantly posting for a photo.  Note the small one has no such reluctance...

Here he is driving off to school (with his Dad, he's only on a Learners, but still...).

Montessori Madness!

In which I talk about why Lolly isn't going to school yet.

You might remember such posts as: Lolly starting school.  Well, reports of her school-going were, apparently, greatly exaggerated.

After some ill-health interruptions to starting Cycle 1, we decided to put off her starting full-time until the final term of the year.  Then, after some long hard thought, I decided she (and I) weren't ready, so we're not starting until next year.  As a family, we also have a lot on our plates at the moment, with Snail's seizures, DinnerDad's crazy work...  She was getting some separation anxiety because of all this.  And, in term 1 next year, Lolly will turn 4, and I think 4 is a different ball game to 3.  Lolly loved her visits to the school, and loves the materials and environment.  I've been so impressed with the school and how they've been flexible with us, too.

School stuff!

Turns out this wasn't the first day of school after all!

Honestly, one of the main reasons is that Lolly is my only child, and I'm not ready.  I wanted 6 more months with just her and me.  Hanging out, playgroup, going to museums and galleries, the library, out for lunch, to the shops and the park with friends.  This is the last time I'll have off work, and where she is not at school, well...ever, during her childhood.  I wasn't ready to say goodbye to that.  I think that despite some arguments to the contrary from the Montessori philosophy, neither was she.

So it's not all sunrise/sunset yet round here.  Give it another 6 months....

Forever Young

Lolly started Cycle One at Montessori today, just for an hour, but still, it's the first on a long series of steps to her life apart from me.  Sniff.  Made me all: 

Which has a lot of meaning for me, because MY mother loves Bob Dylan, and wrote the Forever Young lyrics in my birthday card when I turned 16, which, from memory, made us both cry.

Did I mention...sniff...