(Primary) School’s Out Forever!

Most years when the end of an academic year rolls around for my daughter and I’m still in a job despite all the juggling that working parents have to do, I’d always give myself an imaginary high five and say:  “Wow! Made it to the end of another school year! “  Then I’d take a deep breath in preparation for that yawning stretch of summer when childcare fees become unreservedly crippling.  Still I’d tell myself, this too will end and then I’ll wonder where all the time went.

Yeah well, that time has finally come and while I do not disparage the real privilege it has been to parent my little Lishy through primary school, I can also say that I have felt and lived (happily, gratefully - if a little cash-strapped) all those beautiful early years.  But now, it’s my time because this year marks the end of primary for Lish Losh.  In September she starts secondary and life as I know it will change forever.  Again.

Despite it all, this year was no different as the end of the final term approaches and I am just as impressed as ever to have made it round the block once more.  There is however a finality about this one given it marks an important milestone for Lish Losh.  I recall in vivid colour my last day at primary school.  It would prove the first time I’d experience the pain of loss.  I remember spending the whole day on the brink of tears and as the last bell went so began the heart wrenching sobbing.  I wept all the tears of my heart as the French so richly express (J’ai pleuré toutes les larmes de mon coeur).  I wonder how Lishy will react?

Thus in preparation for the unbridling of a very different parenting experience, I started looking for a new job.  A more senior role that I could commit to without the confidence crushing anxiety created by twice daily inflexible school runs and other tricky child minding issues.  In anticipation of no longer needing the flexibility of my current role – a role I cherished for such a long time – but ultimately the typical middle management role that many working mums are condemned to, often forever, I could now envisage super charging my career.

I was not really up for settling any more, so I only went for the top roles.  And by golly I found one…slightly earlier than I’d hoped given there are still a couple of months before Lishy is that independent tween who can walk herself to and from school and can be left at home without fear of starvation, electric shock or flooding.  Not one to look good fortune in the mouth I decided to bite the bullet and fast track Lishy’s route to independence in order to accept the challenge of this new role.  She now walks herself to her after school club for instance though in other aspects I’ve had to up childcare.  It is what it is.  

Come September she’ll be at a school on our road.  Unheard of in London I can tell you.  All I can say is that the universe provides.

I figure at my age I have maximum 2 more big roles in me before I’ll be looking to wind down.  It means I need to make sure the next 20 years really count in terms of wealth accumulation.  Conscious that the state will likely not be providing state pensions when I am of retirement age and children not actually becoming cheaper as they grow, I. Mean. Business.