Mum’s mixed feelings as youngest child finishes school

Like thousands around the country, I will face a major milestone in my parenting journey when my child walks out of the school gates for the very last time this week.
My social media feeds have been filled this week with friends and acquaintances documenting their child’s Year 12 graduation.
All share the same pride that their children have finally finished school, and while many will pass back through their school gates for final exams in coming weeks, for some, like my daughter, today will mark the final time they set foot on school grounds.
They say in regards to parenting, the days are long but the years are short, and the same can be said for the school years.
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In Australia, school years stretch from Kindergarten, or Prep, depending what state you live in, to year 12.
At times you feel like school will never end. So when it finally does, many parents feel a mixture of relief and sadness that the school years are over.
For those of you with young children who are yet to start school, or are in the early years of navigating their child’s education, let me start by saying: “It’s a lot!” And by “a lot” I mean “A LOT”.
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The first year alone requires a level of organisation most first-time parents have never imagined.
Gone are the long daycare days and up to 52 weeks a year of childcare many are of us used to.
Where a loving carer meets you at the door, fresh meals are prepared, child-to-carer ratios are small and at the end of each day you are given a detailed description of everything your child achieved that day.
They are replaced with six-hour days and a sudden realisation you can no longer work a normal nine-to-five job.
You rarely see or speak to a teacher, unless there is something wrong, or it is the annual parent-teacher interview, in which case you get five minutes to discuss your child’s education.
If you are lucky enough to find a school with before-and-after-school care (BAC), you have to pay for this privilege on top of whatever school fees you are paying.
Homework starts for most children as soon as they start school in the form of sight words and home readers, which means you have to fit that into the few hours before bed, along with bath time and dinner.
Then just when you start to get in a routine they go on school holidays – all 12 weeks of them or more. 
Once you get the hang of Kindy, it’s all over and you have to start again, with a new teacher, new classmates, new parents to get to know, and so on.
Then there are the many challenges along the way. Most children will experience friendship issues. Some children will have learning difficulties. Others will be bullied, some mercilessly.
Some children excel in school, while others struggle. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made, whether that is changing schools or dropping subjects.
While some children will be sad to leave, others are relieved their school years are finally over.
And while school isn’t necessarily for everyone, it is our job as parents to get our children through their school years relatively unscathed.
Graduation marks the end of an era, not just for students but parents as well.
There are about 200 school days each year in Australia and 13 years of schooling.
Even after deducting the final fourth term, that is 2550 days you have packed lunches, ironed uniforms, checked homework is done and everything else you need to do to support your child through their school years.
It is no wonder that by the time they step onto that stage to get their graduation certificate, most parents are barely holding it together.
So today, when my daughter joins thousands of others who will graduate this year, I will have mixed emotions. 
There were many times I didn’t think we would get here. The fact we did is worth celebrating.