Tuesday 27 September 2016

Surviving the playground!

Over the last week or so I have seen a few blog posts about parents who's children started school at the beginning of September.....Some are settling into the playground well (the parents not the children) others are worrying that they are not making friends quickly enough.....



Stop worrying!!

I am a bit of a veteran at the drop off......I have been doing the school run for about 11 years!! To be honest I mostly hate it but it's not that bad...

If you want to be involved and meet some parents join the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) As well as it's being a lot of fun and giving you a look at how the school runs when most of the parents are not around it gives you the chance to meet other parents.....I joined our school PTA and now speak to parents which I wouldn't have normally spoke to.

Sometimes other parents will look at you and you will look at them and just not have the guts to make the first move to talk.....Be brave! For a good couple of years I never spoke to a certain person and she never spoke to me....Once we did speak, we never stopped and now we are the best of friends.

There will always be one person who looks at you like you are a pile of poop! Ignore them.....There is someone in our playground who looks at me like this....I used to let it bother me but now I just ignore her....

Just because your child picks a best friend you do not need to be best friends with the parents. I have been there and tried to do this but there is always some people that you just don't click with.....

The school run is not a fashion show.....I chuckled on the first day of school. There was a whole heap of yummy mummies with tight jeans, perfect hair, make up and high heels....A few weeks later the heels are smaller, hair less fancy and the make up is just about none existent....Early mornings are a killer!

If your child is a terror in the school yard do not draw attention to it.....Have firm words but don't shout. All eyes will be on you and you will be judged! As much as judging is wrong we all do it even if we don't admit it. Do the disciplining quietly....

If you don't like small talk avoid eye contact....Your mobile phone is your friend.....If I am in an unsociable mood and there is none of my friends in the school yard I write blog posts....hahaha To any other person it just looks like I am writing a really long text.

Don't stand at the school gates smoking.....It annoys me so much. Just don't! It's rude.

Choose your friends wisely.....The most popular parents in the school yard are not always the most trustworthy.....

Don’t gossip about other parents or children...

Remember you are only at school for a little time each day! You do not need to be friends with everyone.....

Smile!!

Most of the playground politics happen when the children are at infant and primary school. Kids make their own way to secondary school so just hang on in there during the primary years....Enjoy your children’s childhood and don’t let school playground ruin it.


9 comments :

  1. Sound advice Kim. When I first starting doing the school run we didn't have mobile phones...well not ones you could blog on anyway :) I've always found the fewer friends the better when it comes to school playgrounds, too many and there is always gossip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right. Gossip is always rife in the school yard. lol

      Delete
  2. Let's try again! I love these. They're so obvious and I do agree.

    I get away with not having to play any of the games and politics because I'm rarely there to talk to people. I do miss out on that though, especially as N's year is now split and he has a different pick up door to all the ones with the parents I like.

    I do think it's about keeping your head down, out of trouble, but to chat to people. It'll help you, your kid and also keep you in the loop.

    Thanks for linking up #schooldays

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no. That's a shame that you are not at the same door as all the parents you like.
      Thank you.

      Delete
  3. im so pleased theres a small quota of windswept grannies at the school gates these days , most of whom also work and are experts at wrangling the little buggers out of a vehicle and through the gates even under extreme resistance ...lol ...we just look at each other smile and laugh at the gaping youngsters dropping their perfect sprogs off ....we understand that its a real luxury being a stay at home mum and that small grandchildren must obey or die , sounds dreadful but we do love them to bits .

    ReplyDelete
  4. So true! You don't know until your kids start school that there is such a thing as playground politics x

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm a newbie to the school run so I'll beat all of this in mind. Totally agree re the smoking too.

    ReplyDelete