My First Day At School

1968 . It must be early January . I will never know the exact date . It was my first day at school. A Primary One student . I was seven years old . In those days especially in my town ....kindergartens were unheard of .

There was no dress code for the children at the kindergarten where I used to work .
Reason being ....I would like them to be comfortable in whatever they chose to use ; for self confidence actually ......as long as they were happy to turn up for school .

Attending school meant I had to use the school's dress code . That meant using the school uniform for five days a week and for four and a half hours daily . A white blouse and a brown skirt . I 'm proud to say they were made by my mother . She was good in sewing .

On top of that I had to use white socks and white shoes . I liked wearing the socks because it was not all the time I could use it especially when you are in hot , sunny Malaysia . I remembered I had short hair though I can't remember if I ever used a hair clip .I must have looked neat , prim and proper .

I encouraged parents sending their child to school especially on their child's first day . Do stay for five to ten minutes ; give the child a little hug and a kiss and assured he / she that you will pick her up when school is over .

My father did not send me to school as he was at work . Nor did my mother as she had to look after my younger brother and sister . So that task fell on my elder sister because we went to the same school !!! She was good ; she showed me my class ; made sure I had a seat ; lingered outside the class ..then she was gone . She was in standard six at that time . Knowing that you had a big sister around eased the anxiety of being alone in a room full of strangers .

A word of caution . I had seen parents who lingered too long outside the child's class . Lingering caused problems for the child , the teachers and other children . If other children saw you ..they would be asking for their own parents as well ....it actually started a chain reaction of crying and screaming for parents .

I didn't cry on the first day at school . Not on other days too .

At times a child will cry and cry . No matter what the parents and teachers did or say , it will not stop the child from crying .

Some cried and screamed of course ...........and their parents walked on and left them .

Exhausted ...after too much of crying . We let the child sleep . He must have woken up early ; bright eyed and eager for school .

Anything can happen on a first day at school . That included the desire to run away . Teachers had to calm them down ...that was what teachers are supposed to do .

I remembered there were lots of parents lingering outside the classroom ...peeking in and peeping in now and then . I looked for a familiar face too . And saw my sister doing the same thing . I felt good and safe .

Clingy children should practise separations . Leave child with friends or relatives one or two hours daily ........this exercise is good for both the parents and child as some parents do show worries and emotions . This indirectly increases the child's anxiety as well .

I remembered there were not many things to do on the first day . I was amazed with so much crying and screaming . Enrolled on that day too were one set of twin girls . When I bumped into them a couple of years back , flashes of them kicking the class door and screaming at the top of their voices stayed on in my mind.

First day at school must be scary for these twins . I thought having your twin with you make one feel secure . A new environment , strange and unfamiliar faces and they missed their parents .

Somehow I survived the first day at school . And I'm proud to say I didn't cry .