Making Decisions For My Child

March 02, 2010 | My Blog | The Kids Coach | 0 Comment

This week I received a letter informing me that my youngest son had got into the school we had applied for. A relief I can tell you but thankfully he is a sibling and they get priority. I don’t even know what I was worrying about.

He is too young to care about which school he wants to go to but for us, and for most parents, the right school is important. When I got my letter confirming the decision I thought about how all the other parents who are in the process of finding out about their choice of secondary school must be feeling, especially those who did not get in to their preferred one. They may possibly have to go to a school where they have no friends and have to start making new ones. This can be a stressful and anxious experience.

My son doesn’t seem to have many friends. He only started at morning nursery in January and hasn’t been able to tell me who he plays with. Hence we have done no playdates. I am absolutely fine with that except on the school acceptance form I have to write who he wants to be in a class with.

This has been tough for me. Do I put not put a name and leave it up to the school in the hope that there are some lovely children and mums in the class or do I write the name of a child who is one of his friends?
If I write a childs name – who would it be? a child he likes or a child I like?

The other consideration I have to make is about the parents. Which parent will help me in an hour of need. I need supportive mums around me who can look after him if I am running late and possibly give him dinner.

I finally solved my dilemma this afternoon. I put down two names of children I like and whose parents I get on with. The children are kind and well mannered and the parents supportive. I feel like I am giving him a good start by choosing these children but I also know children change and he may not even stay friends with them once he is faced with another 27 kids in his class.

Do you find making these types of decisions tough too?