Finally! The wonderful day when life falls into its natural rhythm again. The children are occupied. My mind has peace and quiet to think again. It’s back to school in France!
C’est … la Rentrée.
Juliet is nine, so I think she’s in 4th grade now. Gabriel must be in 2nd grade, and William is in the last year of kindergarten.
Public school starts at age three (or age 2, if you are born before December 31), and the kindergarten equivalent lasts three years. Then it’s CP (which is preparatory class), then CE1 and CE2 (which are the elementary classes), then CM1 and CM2 (which are middle classes).
Then they go on to college – which is really junior high – and includes 6th class all the way up to 3d. And then they are in high school (lycée), which is 2nd class all the way to términale – like terminal illness, which is pretty much what it feels like as they prepare for the culmination of all their scholarly years in the form of the dreaded test – the BAC.
Hunter thinks he’s going to school too. He was sooo disappointed.
(I’m not kidding – he cried).
William wants to skip his last year of kindergarten all together.
He keeps telling everyone he’s in CP now.
Juliet is panicked that she won’t have all her school supplies on the first day again this year. I’m a bad mother – I don’t know how all the other mothers know what to buy. I feel like when I was in elementary school, all we needed were No 2 pencils.
I told her I can’t be sure because I don’t have “The List.” But based on past years, I’ve already prepared her pencil case full of markers, that are labeled individually with her name stickers. A pencil case full of labeled colored pencils. A pencil case of whiteboard markers, both big and small – one to write on her personalized (labeled) whiteboard, and the others to write on the classroom board. And then a pencil case with a ruler, sharpener, white-out, a pen of each of the 4 basic colours, a fountain pen and cartridges, a white-erase pen with the write-over special tip, eraser, compass – everything labeled, of course. I still need to get a square edge. And I just really have no idea what folders, book covers, binders she will need, so I will have to wait to get “The List,” which everyone else magically got last year, except me.
Gabriel’s list is exactly the same, except for the compass.
Whoopie! A new school year to conquer!
Happy September everyone!
Even after living there for years, some things about French schools would culturally frustrate me. Like no school supply list? Agh! They look so excited and happy- here’s to a great year for all our kiddos!
Hear, hear! May your year be full of happiness.
Ahhh… and exhale.
Here’s to a great school year for you and your small ones. 🙂
Andrea recently posted…A Labor Day Mind Dump
You said it!
(and thanks)
Yay for routines and normalcy!
Poor Hunter. 🙂
(School was a long time ago for me, but I don’t remember needing so many pens/ pencils/ markers/ binders etc. All we had to get were text books, exercise books, lab report books when we were older. That’s it.)
Alison recently posted…Four, Never Five
That’s right! Everything was when we were older. In elementary, everything was given to us.
Happy First Day of School! Ours is tomorrow – I will be labeling later.
I actually got The List this year, but didn’t last year (or I may have lost it.) It was a scramble getting everything at the last minute, because that year everything had to be colour-coded. School supplies are such a challenge – so much guess work.
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted…Winning the Shuffle
Color coded on top of everything? When will the madness end?
Just dropped my kids off for their first day and they were all excited. Hope yours have a wonderful year!
Korinthia Klein recently posted…Skill Sets
Same to you!!
Poor Hunter. 🙁
Not having a school supply list would make me crazy! Glad my kids’ school puts them online. School for us starts tomorrow, so there will be much organizing of backpacks tonight! (Who, me? Wait till the last minute?? Nah…)
Mama D recently posted…Frustrated And REFUSE To Clean; Therefore I Cook
It’s true I would prefer to have the lists all well in advance, but maybe I’m just not looking hard enough?
Happy September! Very cool to hear about how school is set up there!
Laura recently posted…Book Review: Love Anthony
Same to you, although I think no one in your house is in school yet, right?
My girls went back to school this morning!! YAY!
I hope that yours have a wonderful school year.
Jackie recently posted…10 Things to Smile About – August
Same to you! I hope everyone has a great year.
Happy school year to you all!!
School started mid August in the West… And my normalcy is homeschooling… Good to know Cameron is in CM1… I would not have known!!
Matthieu told me it has changed since you guys were in school. It used to be 11th all the way up to terminale. I wonder why they changed it.
I would be so confused with all those grades, whoa! Your children are just beautiful, Jennie! Hope they have a wonderful school year!
Elaine A. recently posted…Randoms
I finally get the classes now that they are going through them, but before they were in school I was so confused! And thank you Elaine A! 😉
We were back to school today too (armed with The List’s $150 worth of school supplies! I love that public school starts at age 3! I wish the US would channel their money into that rather than all these costly torture the students and blame the teachers standardized tests! Public pre-k would do much to level the playing field.
If it makes you feel any better, I just heard a news program that said that France is really average in national education (18 out of 36 countries) and that it’s behind Poland. So we’re not doing everything right.
Happy September. It’s such a joyous, exciting time. I’m always in a good mood this time of year. Or maybe it’s just that my house is quiet for a few hours every morning.
anymommy recently posted…The unbearable sadness of being sad
No, you nailed it. Moms get their sanity back. Kids are happy moms get their sanity back.
We received no supply list either….and Maya starts school on Monday. And I’m still in London. Nothing about this makes sense!
Cute pictures! Hope the kids had a great first day!
Ameena recently posted…neglectful
Maybe times have changed, but I don’t remember having to bring any school supplies until junior high. Happy back to school to Maya (and mom). 😉
I find it so interesting how different countries have different systems. Our kindergarten is broken into JK (junior) and SK (senior). My boy is in SK.
We only had to supply him with extra clothes, shoes and a glue stick. Easy peasy!
Kimberly recently posted…Camper’s Bladder
I think Canada is closer to France than the US. I’ll be you anything you’ll get “The List” starting from next year.
AWWW -they look so happy!! Mine where happy too – hope they are always so enthusiastic. I had the “List” but they still came home with additional items to buy…makes me frantic….XOXO
I know – you like to be nice and organized. 😉
I saw their signs and thought, hmm. I wonder what grades? Hee hee. They are too cute, all of them. I hope they have a great year! (kindergarten starts early!!) I’m always the mom out of the loop, too. :/
I know. That is one major sanity over here – school starts at 3 and we can all breathe again.
I hope everyone has a wonderful school year!
Also? Poor Hunter.
Tonya recently posted…Meal Patrol
I don’t feel so bad for my dog considering he rolled in poop and I had to take chunks of it out of his collar and bathe him and bleach my house from top to bottom. grrr #huntingdogs
And thanks 🙂
I love that our school puts the list online and in all of the stores. Makes it so easy. And this year for Cady I purchased all of her supplies ahead from the PTA and they were delivered to her room. But she hated that so next year that won’t fly.
Jennifer recently posted…Happiness Is…
You know, I have to check on that – maybe it’s on our town hall website and I completely missed it.
Ooo, fascinating little window for me into French school. 🙂
Natalie – The Cat Lady Sings recently posted…Walmart Trunks
Coucou Natalie (do you remember? it’s how you say hello when you meet a friend or family member)
aaah la belle france! 😉
Remember that your little sister stood at the front door with her lunch box telling us she was going to school? Only she was two or three and she wasn’t going anywhere.
I had forgotten – that is so cute! 🙂
What a lovely family you have! Enjoy Sept in France….le sigh.
Thanks Lindsay. 🙂
Ahhh, To be in France! I love that you children speak 2 languages!
…but I have one question: Does Hunter speak French, too? xx
My Inner Chick recently posted…A Room Of My Own & Other Groovy Stuff
Hunter must speak French.
Hunter, assis! (sit down)
Hunter, au pied! (heel)
Hunter, pas toucher! (don’t touch)
Hunter, pas sauter! (don’t jump).
But he also understands when I croon “you’re such a good boy. You’re a good baby.”
You probably haven’t seen the commcercial for Staples, where the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” plays in the background while a giddy dad and morose kids shop for school supplies. 🙂 Here’s the link:
Carole recently posted…Farmer’s Market
commercial!
Carole recently posted…Farmer’s Market
My babies are back now, too.
In high school.
I’m still reeling a little from that reality, but I know they are ready so I am, too.
Mostly.
And our dogs are THRILLED to have me back all to themselves, so there’s that.
I will be emailing you soon, my friend.
So much has changed and yet nothing at all.
If that makes sense.
Love always.
julie gardner recently posted…But I don’t even own any lipstick…
Oh yes, I so want to catch up on your news. Miss you!
Happy Back To School!! (and I’m so sorry I’m so far behind in blog reading…school has kicked my butt!)
tracy@sellabitmum recently posted…Three Little Birds
Me too! Me too! I feel the same way.
Love you, and I’ll be by soon.