Today Emily started day care at "Fennies Under 5s" for Thursdays and Fridays, as Sue has started back full time. She's been for a couple of dry runs the last couple of weeks, but this is it.
There were tears and the obligatory "why are you leaving me?" looks. While child minding is a sad requirement of today's economic landscape, this is only the third such "first day" Emily's had in her 30-odd months - from Katherine originally, to Helen (still) and now Fennies.
When we dropped her off, I tried to remember the shock to the system when I started big boy school (well, grade one) back in the mid-70s. The only thing I could remember was falling over and cracking my head open. I was six.
I trust Em's first full day will pass with a lot less drama... and pain... and bloodshed.