Short-lived carefreeness

OH TO be young and innocent again with a sparkle in my eyes. The only care in my world was picking the right pencil and having as much fun as I possibly could at break time.

Oh the faith of the young and the innocent …

Last week thousands of young children from around the Province entered the hallowed school halls … some for the very first time.

Just seeing their joyfulness and enthusiasm was a total blessing. But we all know that is going to get old very soon.

When I started my school career many, many years ago, there was more a sense of trepidation and nervousness. None of that last week.

I guess it is because we were just put into Grade 1 (Sub A). There were none of these early childhood development programmes or Grade RR or Grade R. It was just a matter of, “Oh, you are of school-going age … my, my where have the years gone … you’re off to school then.”

Also it wasn’t a matter of mommy and daddy holding your hand waiting more enthusiastically than you to get into the classroom. Nope. You were dressed in your school uniform, the obligatory photo was taken, which would only probably be developed five years later, and shoved off with the bigger kids to make the 5-7 minute walk to school.

Your older brother or sister would deposit you in front of your classroom and then run off to catch up with their friends after the long December holiday.

So there you were, milling around like a lost fart wondering what to do, who to talk to, not knowing anybody. After all you were just plonked here … you hadn’t “graduated” from Grade R so you knew nobody.

Best to just hang around and not make any trouble before the school bell signifying the start of your educational career rang.

Before entering the classroom, I remember us all being marshalled into a long line and our names being called alphabetically. We were then marched off to the school hall for our very first assembly. All the Sub As were allowed to move in first because we had to sit cross-legged in the front with our fingers on our lips not to make a sound.

We actually listened to all the rules and regulations – how much we actually comprehended is open for debate.

Back in the classroom we had to contain our excitement because one of the few things that actually stuck was that you would be punished if you did not remain quiet or listen to your teacher.

If memory serves correctly, I couldn’t wait to show Mrs Koekemoer my reading skills. I was one of the lucky few who could read, write and tell the time by the time I was four; thanks to a very patient great grandmother, Old Ma. So that is all I wanted to do – read. Even though I could write, I remember being admonished because I didn’t write very neatly.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into terms, I remember then already I was getting tired of all of this and would much rather be at home doing nothing.

But with encouragement from Mrs Koekemoer I stuck it out. My grades, I remember, were above the class average and my handwriting had improved from a C to an A.

To all the parents I just want to say, that carefreeness of your little one is going to be shortlived, enjoy it while you can.

All I am hoping for is that every single pupil that started Grade 1 in 2020 will walk out worthy citizens and ready to face the challenges the real world brings in 2032.