IF is but a little word that sits in the corner!

You may wonder how this post fits into education, but hopefully by the end you will see the link. Recently, my siblings and I had to put our mother into residential care. A huge challenge because although she knew she was no longer coping, she is an independent woman, ex Director of Nursing with post graduate studies in gerontology.

This is a complex journey for any family and if you are ever in this position you will understand that aged care is a minefield.

Firstly, the best advice I can give is find a consultant who will help you understand this system and help you find the right place for your parent.

Our parents took us to school on our first day and I have now taken my mother to her first day at her new place. So what does she want from this experience and what do I want for her?

My vision was a place where the aged are treated with dignity and respect. My mother deserves that. She is an intelligent woman who has worked hard to ensure the aged are recognised in our community. Equally when looking for a school, the best school is most likely the school that is closest to you, but if you’re not sure put some questions together, visit and ask!

My mother’s new residence meets 99 percent of anyone’s needs and it would be hard to get better than that!

Many parents are now wondering how their child will settle into school next year and if the school they have chosen will meet their child’s needs. Will my child make friends? Will the teacher help my child to settle in? What will my child do in such a big playground? How will my child react to other students less or more capable than he/she? So many questions and so many concerns… and as a teacher I understand each of these concerns. One, I’ve taken my two children to their first day of school and both survived! Two, I’m an experienced teacher and greeted many students on their first day of school. And they survived too!

Letting go of our children and older parents is similar. You have to be positive and resilient and build this in your child or older parent so they become confident in their new surroundings and routines. It’s difficult because you want to hold their hand, but you can’t always do that.

This might help: My grandmother had a little saying and it goes like this….

IF is but a little word that sits in the corner. If we worry about the IFs in the world, we won’t go further!

So let’s not worry about the IFs.

Cheers Nina