Mum life ACCORDING TO LAUREN!
MOTHER-OF-SIX LAUREN NEWTON SHARES HER TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS
Iremember as a child the excitement and nerves that hit as the new school year approached. It was a time of new lunch boxes, shiny new school shoes and freshly sharpened pencils. It also signalled the end of holidays and the return of routine (something most parents are eager for).
We have the excitement this year of Monty starting prep school and Perla starting kindergarten. It will be so wonderful for them, but I must say my ‘mum heart’ will break a little as they wave me goodbye. It’s a huge step heading out into the world, but they are both more than ready.
We like to get organised for the new school year as early as possible. We often get school shoes at the after-christmas sales and make sure there is plenty of extra growing room. Getting them on sale is a huge saving when you are buying five pairs of school shoes and sports shoes. I like to try them on and put them on hold so that when the sale begins, we just collect and run as far as we can from those crazy shopping centre crowds.
Labelling school books is not my favourite job, but the kids are always so enthusiastic about it, and luckily most of them are at the age where they can do it themselves.
I stock up on everyone’s labels, so we have plenty in the drawer for those extra bits and pieces that pop up
over the year that need a name. I have to say, though, I’m not sure how anyone ends up with as many new drink bottles as my kids do! It seems there’s always some new glittery one that they must have.
The start of the new year can bring on stress and anxiety for the kids – which class they will be in and what teacher they’ll have are things that can worry them. I try to talk through these things with them and [my husband] Matt
and I make sure we are both available on those first few days to help them settle in. We have learnt over the years that these feelings settle quickly and the excitement takes over.
I do love the routine of school life, but it is sad to see the holidays come to an end. I love having the kids around all day and spending so much time together as a family. It is wonderful, though, to see them head off into the world and thrive in their busy lives.