Didn’t happen. She was supposed to start today, but, due to having a fever, she missed it and stayed at home instead. Her three-day schooling-in will most probably start tomorrow.

I feel somewhat sad at Zelda’s departure into a new world. I have no recollection of feeling this way when Freya began nursery school – do not take this to heart, Freya, since my memory is both selective and poor. My little girl is off to start a new adventure, when all I really want to do is keep her close to me for a while longer.

It is not that I have reservations about the school: I work there. I know she will adjust well, and will enjoy the experience as much as Freya does. One thing does play on my mind, though. The general attitude has been not to pamper any new child that cries when s/he misses Mum or Dad. A certain amount of picking up and comforting is acceptable, but too much should be avoided, in case the child becomes attached to the teacher.

I disagree completely with this philosophy. I would rather that a child may become fixated with me, though happy, than to cry ceaselessly for a number of weeks, while I stand there espousing the virtues of an off-hand appraoch to child-care. I prefer to deal with a problem of attachment than an unneccessary amount of separation anxiety.

That said, every child seems to get over not having their close family near, and I m confident that Zelda will not be affected by the ordeal. I just wish there were more people like me.