Back to School
Nearly three weeks ago, Malaysian kids started a new year in school in the middle of March. This year, I have 2 school-going kids — the big brother who’s been in the school system earlier and the middle child is starting in Primary 1. Speaking of which, I couldn’t help noticing how different my middle child is approaching his primary school life and how much more relaxed I am sending him off on his first day.
As part of the school’s operating procedure — we were only allowed to drop him at the school gate. He walked spiritedly to the school hall — not turning back, not even wondering whether we are waving or waiting outside. We waited until he disappeared into the crowd and then we left.
Our middle child entered the pandemic as a wide-eyed 5 year old, missed at least 15 months of interactions with kids his age due to school closure, did not have a kindergarten year-end concert cum graduation and came out of the pandemic as a 7 year old. Two years flew by just like that and there goes my middle child. Back when our eldest child entered primary school (pre-pandemic) — we walked with him to his classroom, chose him a seat, peeked through the classroom’s window, sat with him through recess and pretty much did that for at least the first 3 days. Not so relaxed parents, were we the first time?
Have you ever wondered why kids from the same parents can have differing personalities? I have always wondered this myself, having grown up in a family of 8 siblings.Just as the kids are growing up — the same thing is happening to the parents. The newly wed couple who had their eldest kid are not the same people who had their subsequent child. They, too, are evolving, in a ‘growing up’ phase of their own.
Therefore, kids — please forgive your parents when you look back into this part of our life. If you for a second think that I may have treated you differently than your other sibling, it may be because I do not know how to react the first time around. I would have grown my own opinions by the time I had my number 2 and may even change my parenting style later when it comes to my youngest one. Even something that looks as simple as sending kids back to school, differ greatly in our response and care but trust me, we are trying.
Mooke Esham is a mom of 3.
