Preschool Kindergarten 2 | Graduation Overnight Camp!

Lil Pumpkin had her first stay-over in school last Friday night. I was surprised when I received the letter a few weeks back as I didn't realise that camping {without ANY parental supervision of sorts} started in preschool! But a few of my friends mentioned that the K2s in their kids' preschool do that too.

Oh well... How times have changed!

This is the itinerary of her Graduation Camp. Doesn't it seem fun??! I guess this will only appeal to the kids who sleep late, which is fine for Lil Pumpkin because she knocks out around 10.30-11.30pm since we're usually home late after work. 

I knew Lil Pumpkin would be really excited to go and honestly, I was excited for her to have this experience too because most likely, she will not be seeing her preschool friends any more once they all go to different Primary schools.

Having attended camps before, I understood how enjoyable it could be and loved the sense of camaraderie and bonding you get from spending a whole night or two together. Unforgettable memories are shared and it will surely build her confidence and independence level.

At 6.5years old, @lovelilpumpkin is going for her first overnight stay in sch today for the "graduating class"!! Part of me is soooo excited for her, but part of me is pretty anxious too 😱😱😱🌸 #sakuraharuka #wheredidmybabygo #singapore #preschooler #motherhood

A video posted by Ai Sakura  (@aisakuraharuka) on Nov 12, 2015 at 10:13pm PST

However, obviously a part of me worried as well if she was too young?? This was the first time in a very long time that I felt so anxious over her well-being. I've gotten used to her being in school and away from me while I'm at work, and it isn't the first time I've been away from her at night but usually she will at least be with the boy, my mum or sis... never alone without any family members.

I wondered if she would be used to not sleeping on her comfy bed, or get scared and cry in the middle of the night, or suddenly wake up looking for us and panic that she ended up in that strange place. Also, would she be able to sleep without her usual night milk or us by her side??

Anyway in the end the boy and I decided to let go of my our parental fears and let her spread her wings a little. We trust her school and teachers, and for the past few years she has attended classes there, they have provided a safe and secure environment for her to grow and develop. Also, Lil Pumpkin herself is a rather careful and disciplined child. She might be a little silly sometimes, but she does listen to her teachers well and I think in our daily lives, she has shown herself to be responsible and emotionally mature enough to spend a night without us {and in the safe hands of her teachers.}

Leading up to the camp, we talked about it often with Lil Pumpkin and reminded her of things that she should do {e.g. eat well, listen to teachers, brush teeth, call us if she doesn't feel well etc.} and should not do {e.g. play hide-and-seek in dark areas, leave the group, go near fire etc.}. That morning before school drop-off, we also encouraged her to have fun and don't be scared {although I seriously think she wasn't!!} and reassured her that if she wants to come home, just ask her teachers to call us.

On Friday night I stayed over at my parents' place since it's much nearer to her preschool and I could be there in a jiffy if the school suddenly called to say that she really couldn't handle staying the whole night. I tossed and turned and kept checking my phone to see if I missed any calls. Reading news about what was happening in other parts of the world that night did not help either #prayforhumanity

But thankfully, nothing eventful occurred at her preschool. Early in the morning, I made my way there to pick her up and chatted with some parents at the gate. Apparently some of them felt anxious too, and it was kind of reassuring that I wasn't the only wuss of a mum who was up worrying last night. Hah!

When the kids finally ran out, there she was grinning ear to ear and proclaiming that "it was the best night ever!!"

Lil Pumpkin had such a fabulous time and was so eager to tell me what they ate and did. Hear what she has to say about the camp in the vlog above or if it's not working, watch it on my YouTube channel here.

Truthfully, I felt a bit silly losing sleep worrying and all the anxiety I felt last night were for nothing. But then again, that's the life of a mother right? She never stops worrying about her children, even when they are all grown-up and have children of their own.

Looking at Lil Pumpkin now I realise, truly, my baby girl is a big girl now. If she can handle one night all by herself without Mummy and Daddy, surely she would have no problem handling the challenge of starting a new life in primary school too, right?

P.S. Check out these 20 tips for kids entering Primary 1 and 20 recommended things to buy for them, from parents for parents!

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