Crisp white cotton, perfectly pressed pleats, stiff shiny shoes. Fading summer tans and bright keen eyes. The start of a new school year.

These milestones make us well aware of just how much our little ones have grown. All that outdoor fun and sunshine has fed their growth spurt, and the new school starters look so tiny in comparison. And in September the school hall can accommodate all the pupils quite comfortably, but come the summer term it’s all a bit tighter with everyone having to huddle together like sardines.

A few proud tearful parents, avoiding eye contact with each other for fear of opening the floodgates. Back to the routine of ushering children along their school years and the realisation that the terms, school years, summers, and Christmases all come around so quickly. Hold onto those moments and cherish them.