As we ease our way into a month, it’s got me thinking about how much September is a month of transitions. The crazy British weather definitely hasn’t helped – for the past two weeks you’d have thought we were already in October from autumnal it felt. It’s also a reflection on what’s going on in life at home right now as well as hearing from a number of freelance colleagues about how September is landing for them:
Schools Back
Whether you’ve got children in your life or not, you probably can’t help but notice that schools are back. The sudden influx of traffic on the roads and the sudden emptying out of parks, beaches and activities in the weekdays is a sure sign that classrooms are back in session. If you’ve got a child in school, it’s no small transition, even in a school they’re well settled and happy in. The enormity of a new year, a new teacher, a classroom, a new curriculum, a new routine, and in my son’s case, a whole new set of classmates as they mix and match the classes each year is easy to underestimate. It needs an extra amount of availability, physically and emotionally as a parent/carer.
Settings Change
My youngest, like many others, is changing setting this month and this is another level of the emotional rollercoaster. Too young to fully understand the nuances like dates and why all her friends aren’t going to be sat in the new room with her, this transition feels extra draining. It also comes with some fun logistical hurdles like 1 stay-and-play session, 1 home visit and 2 settle sessions – all in the middle of the working day.
Summers Over
Even without kids, a lot of people have been taking time out over the summer months (although well done anyone who held out until September because you’ve lucked out with this week’s weather!), so there’s still an adult-version of back-to-school. There’s new notebooks, sharpened pencils and a heavy-sense of “right, where was I?!” Holidays are behind most of us as we start looking towards the autumn.
Happy New Year
I feel like September almost marks a new year for me more than January 1st. I’m always struck by the build up to New Year’s Day and then being slightly underwhelmed because nothing really changes. Whereas September, particularly right now at this point in life, marks huge step changes in life. While we haven’t thrown a party or initiated a countdown, there’s definitely a sense of new challenges, new opportunities and new beginnings. So here’s to a new year, the return of routine, and some newly sharpened pencils.
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash