This is a negative word in our house at the moment.
Starbucks has started school. I am not happy.
By starting school the whole equilibrium in our family has been altered. Starbucks has been given a status we have never allowed her to have, citizen. Up until this moment she has been supressed by us to a role within our family only.
This newly aquired status means:
1) It is her (school terms) that decide when the whole family can go on holiday
2) how long Cookie can nap for - everyday at 3pm we will be at the school collecting her sister whether she has had her 2 hours or not
3) Whether Cookie gets to play with her toys first thing or not, she'll be hurried out into the rain or snow to take her sister
4) how long we can explore and play for each day. It'll terminate immediately when the alarm for school pick up goes
She also gets to get supressed in her new role
-matching uniforms with the other kids, sure i get group identitiies, anti-bullying stances etc, but now its MY kid, and she's FOUR years old, im quesioning why she cant remain an individual for longer? Why cant she have a different colour hairband which we already have in our house and she's worn always. What are the social norms which made up what are 'school shoes' and what are 'black trainers'? Why does every know that school shoes might rub your feet, be uncomfortbale and need breaking in but then chose to inflict them upon every single child in our nation in the formative years of growing feet. As soon as these shoes verge on comfortable they are deemed not school shoes by definition. SHE'S FOUR.
- no personalised learning. They all learn the same. She can already write all her letters and cut things out (hey thats a skill that still features on my CV!) but if thats what they are all learning, she'll do it too.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!?!
Do these boots look uncomfortable enough?
Can she take her favourite statue with her?
I do realise that if we look specifically at Starbucks, she is going to love school, she's going to gain from the education and she's going to establish herself as teacher's pet and swell her self esteem. But all this can wait until she's 6 too.
Mostly my selfish side comes out. I like her company, i like playing with her on my days off, i like chilling with her, and i like the freedom to explore London with her all day if i want. I dont want to lose her for the next 14 years to indoctrination of her into society.....
2 comments:
Sucks, doesn't it?
It still baffles me here in Canada that the children are wearing whatever they like and the teachers are wearing hoodies... but, should they escape (lol) from school, how do we know who belongs where?
Some schools start school at 6 or 7yrs in Europe and you're doing an awesome job having the girls at home, but we know that not every parent is going to do as good a job and therefore school is a saviour for some. Sorry that was a ramble! I should write my own blog... lol :P
Yes Debz, please do write your own blog again, i loved it!
I still feel like i am doing the school a favour sending Starbucks to school. they dont feel the same, but legally i dont have to send her until April.....
I never thought i'd so seriously consider homeschooling, and it would be even more of a potential if i hadnt have spent so much effort recently on my 'career development'. Perhaps i just wont send her every Monday.
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