Goodbye carefree childhood, hello teenage angst
So I think I’ve said before that the school the children attend is a good old fashioned Irish preparatory school. They have boarders, and Matrons, and get to play in the woods and have proper lunch and cricket and rugby and stuff. #1 has spent two happy years there and today was his last day. He was tremendously sad, although this was slightly offset by being allowed to stay over yesterday for the leavers’ party, which seemed to include a day out to some mad place where they did ‘bog jumping’ (yes, really, in a peat bog – he still has it under his nails), an assault course, a proper outdoor barby (‘I had a burger…and a hotdog with loads of onions…ooh, and some really nice marinated chicked…ooh, and lemonade…’) and then back to the school for a specially arranged late night swim in the outdoor pool (a lovely detail was that the staff on duty used their car headlights to light the pool for them) and very little sleep afterwards, no doubt. This was a wonderful, memory-building last night for #1 and his friends, something they’ll no doubt tell their children about.
So it was with a certain melancholy that we took our places in the beautiful hall (I especially love it that one of the paintings shows a magnificent greyhound) for #1′s very last Prizegiving Day. Well, there were prizes for this and prizes for that, and I have to admit I’d kind of zoned out a bit and then… hang on, was that #1′s name I heard? Yes! And I could see him weaving his way up to the front to receive The Senior Music Prize, no less. I could see #2′s face all smiley and proud as he clapped double hard for his big brother. And then, shortly after, once again to receive The Latin Prize!!! Afterwards, breathless and red faced, he came rushing up clutching a distinction certificate for History too. Not to be outdone, #2 got a certificate for swimming – he is just coming up to his senior three years now, so I can see there’ll be some healthy competition on the prize front in years to come.
So on to senior school, then. Many new challenges ahead. And honestly? This school’s been the making of him (and continues to do a great job with #2). They arrived, uncertain in a new country and frankly unhappy to be joining a new school, and he leaves a confident, happy, sunny teenager. He’s still our mad professor, but he’s taller. And more argumentative. Happy days.
Tell the Prof and the Loony their Auntie Jen is BURSTING with pride and will get them both the sort of icecream that’ll take scaffolding and three weeeks to eat.
What a bitter-sweet day – and Wonderful years and adventures ahead.
MWAH!
Tara: Thanks, and yes, we agree. Okay so we haven’t been on holidays for a while and they don’t always get the best treats but hey, we think it’s worth it x
Baino: Absolutely, and what, you mean I might escape the dreaded teenagerness? Thanks, you’ve given me hope! x
June: Many thanks, and you too. Eleven long, yawning weeks to come…aaarrrrggghhhh…
I can still remember those days with very fond memories! Wait until you get to Graduation Day!
Enjoy the summer hols but with such a long break, get them doing some joined up writing at least once otherwise day 1 of school in September is a great shock to the system!!
Midnight swimming sounds like fun (if a bit cold!) I wish my teachers had done something similar.
Loving the sound of that leavers party!!!!!
Nutty: Me too – they have such fun x
Ruth: I know, it builds such lovely memories. No photos sadly, but hey.