The P1 Registration Milestone

I don’t think I was quite fully prepared for this milestone of milestones: P1 Registration.

I mean, I was definitely fully prepared where the process was concerned. I read up on the documents required, marked down the relevant date, reminded myself many times not to forget, took out all the necessary documents and set them aside. (I forgot the photocopies but thankfully that was easily rectified at the school bookshop.)

I’ve been prepared for years, really, having discussed our options many times over with the husband. I was the one who asked him to sign up for his alumni school then practically signed up for him when he wasn’t prompt enough with it to my liking. I read up on all the phases so I know them all and the permutations for balloting like the back of my hand. I considered all schools within 1km and 2km of my home, and again when we moved. I asked around and found out what I could about the school we decided on for Noey, even if it was more out of default than a real choice.

On D-Day this Tues, I woke up bright and early, and prepared myself to go down for the morning session to give myself a bit of a buffer just in case we had some issue with our documentation. I woke the husband and we brought Noey along for the ride.

(He spent most of the journey talking about getting $2 for pocket money and all the things he could buy with that. His kindy had arranged a trip to a Primary school for the K2 children  one and clearly the canteen was the big takeaway from the whole experience.)

I was a little taken aback by the number of people in the queue when we got to the school by mid-morning, and we briefly discussed the possibility of a ballot, though I sincerely hoped there was no need for that given that fact that we had NO BACKUP PLAN whatsoever. This was already the earliest possible phase and I didn’t expect there to be any prospect of a ballot at all. It was a bit of a nervy wait. Nervy for us, at least. Noey was utterly bored. Guess that’s the first and last time I’m bringing a child along for the registration process!

Our hearts were put to rest when we were informed by the admin staff managing the process that the number of alumni members they were expecting to show up for the registration process was less than the number of places available. This count was possible thanks to a very efficient system the alumni had of issuing letters to those intending to register their children for next year’s intake. Since there were more places than letters issued, a ballot was not expected. We heaved a quiet sigh of relief.

Barring any totally unseen and catastrophic event, our P1 registration is done and dusted.

I guess that’s when it started sinking in. I was prepared. But now, I realise, I’m not really ready. I’m not ready to take my baby out of the nurturing environment of kindy and shove him into the big bad world. How can it be that he’s going to P1 already?? I mentioned these to my husband only to have him smile at my sentimentality. “He’ll be alright, he’ll grow up,” he said kindly.

I know he will, even as I know that I will just have to entrust him to God, knowing that He who cares for Noey infinitely more than I do will walk with him down this path. It is an exciting journey. I just have a bit more preparing to do, this time, in my heart and on my knees.