The nursery queue

The queue is orderly and nobody would dare to jump the queue, everybody stands quietly and most people only talk to their own children. 

Sometimes people strike up a conversation, but you quickly realise they know each other. Most of us don’t actually know anybody and true to British values rather than saying the wrong thing and embarrassing yourself we stay quiet. 

We stand waiting for the clock to strike 9am and the teacher opens the door to let our children in. We all breathe a sigh of relief!

We go in a very orderly fashion in single file, sort out our children and then stand by the door waiting to get back out constantly saying after you and then both of you go at the same time which is always with a smile and a chorus of sorry! Why don’t they open the other door it would make life a lot easier!

When you finally get out its head down and walk at a brisk pace to get out of the school. 

When you go to pick up the children it’s even stranger. Why? Well it’s most noticeable with dads on their own. Me included! We all tend to stand there saying nothing on our phones whereas mothers do tend to talk to the mother next to them. Is it because we need to become more familiar with other parents? Hopefully we will all start talking a bit more as we get to know each other. 

In the two weeks since I have been taking the girls I have spoken to just two people and I knew those people before the girls started nursery. 

The girls are starting out in their new adventure of school, but as parents it’s a new adventure for us as parents making new friends and to be honest it’s a little bit scary.