Bunny’s first week at a new school

Recently we won our appeal to move Bunny from a school 6 miles away (half an hour in traffic), to a school 6 minutes walk away. We were thrilled, but only had a day and a half to get used to the idea, before the move happened. I rushed out and bought Bunny’s new uniform, threw a sudden leaving party for her and her friends and then bam…time to get used to a whole new routine.

The new routine meant no need to get in the car. We saved a fortune in petrol on her first week alone. We were hoping that a new, more mainstream school, would improve her behaviour. Less time stuck in the car, being on time, friends living closer to home, new teachers, new friends, etc, would all contribute to a behaviour change. Well… her behaviour is slowly improving and we are convinced now, that moving schools, was the right thing for her.

So how did her first day go?

When I woke up at 7am, Bunny was up, dressed and had made herself breakfast. This has NEVER happened before. She was REALLY excited. She had her bag ready and her shoes on, before I’d even drank my morning cup of tea.

We got to school and reported to the office, where a member of staff was waiting for her. She took her by the hand and asked her how she was feeling and if she was ready to go in, or if she wanted mummy to stay for a bit. I was blown away by the kindness. In her old school, they never showed that much care or asked how she was feeling. They never took her by hand or gave her options. Not since reception class anyway! Bunny said she wasn’t nervous, just excited and she was ready to go in straight away. So I walked home with the twins, feeling relieved and happy.

When I picked Bunny up from school on that first day, she came running over, still as full of excitement as she had been in the morning.

The things she were most excited about were:

• On a Monday, they have breakfast in their classroom (she had already had breakfast, so this day she had a second!)
• At break time they can have hot buttered toast.
• She had made new friends already.
• She really liked that her teacher is a man, as she’s only ever had female teachers. 
• Her lessons were fun and she likes her new school so much more than her old one.

Her second and third day’s at school followed a similar pattern, so I went out and bought her a present on the third day, to show her how proud of her I was.

To me, I think moving schools must be a big step for a child. She was leaving behind everything she had known, for the past three and a half years to go to a new building, with different classrooms where she’d have to learn her way around. No grown-ups that she knew, no children that she knew. Different rules, slightly different uniform, different lunch menu, a new playground. For Bunny to go to school, with absolutely no fear, make friends and come home with such a positive attitude, made me really proud of her.

So I bought her a picture for her wall, which says “braver than you think you are”, so for all the times when she doubts herself, she can look at the picture and remember how fearlessly she changed schools.

I think perhaps I should take note of this quote myself, as there are so many times I doubt myself and forget all I have survived. My husband should too, if we think of all we have conquered since we got together. We are a tough little family and we need to try and remember that. But this is for Bunny, to show her how brave she can be.

Her behaviour, sadly, has slipped back to awful, on three days since she’s been at her new school, but three days out of two and a half weeks is a vast improvement and we are proud of her for that.