Today is the first day back at school and the Jugum household is surprisingly organised.
Why wouldn't it be?
Well there's four lunches to make, four drink bottles to fill, four school bags to pack, four mouths to feed - and a set of quadruplets to organise.
Tayla, Luka, Niko and Ash Jugum
couldn't wait for day one at Tauranga Primary School to start today - and their mum Tracey Lynch felt much the same.
The Jugums and thousands of other Western Bay youngsters were awoken by their parents early this morning to get ready for the first day of school for 2005.
It is also the first day back for students at intermediate schools and colleges. And, while some may have struggled out of bed at 7am, the Jugum nine-year-olds were eager to make it to school early.
However, they were regretting having stayed up until 10pm last night, as they rubbed sleep from their eyes.
Then the list came from mum: brekkie, brush ya' teeth, school bag, lunch box, drink bottle, hat - it flowed off the tongue with the wisdom of a mother who has given the list many times before.
For parents Martin Jugum and Tracey Lynch, the back-to-school routine has been welcomed after a long summer break.
"Normally it is a rush in the mornings - we should be more organised," Ms Lynch said.
According to Tayla, school was just the bees knees and she was looking forward to getting stuck into her favourite subject, writing.
Ash agreed writing was the best; Niko reckoned soccer; and Luka voiced his passion for art.
Whatever their favourites, the children were looking forward to beginning Year Five at school.
"We get to have our own desks this year and don't have to sit at the big tables any more," Tayla said.
She and Luka would be in the same class and Ash and Niko would be in another.
Swimming, surf lifesaving, miniball, basketball and netball were all on the agenda for the coming year, leaving just Sunday free to relax and recover each week.
Ms Lynch admitted the quads - who were conceived through IVF treatment - could be a handful but, as they grew older, so did the fun.
"At home there's always someone to play with. Very rarely we hear them saying they are bored," she told the Bay of Plenty Times .
She prepared their lunches last night to make the first morning back as easy as possible. "I'm just cruising because they are all in the same year. I think it's actually easier because you don't have different schools to get them to."
She recalled her children's very first day of school when the family lived in Dunedin - "It was the first ever lunch on my own."
For the past three years they have lived in Tauranga and have been able to walk or bike to school each day. Tayla, Ash, Niko and Luka all think their family is pretty cool.
Think Day 1 is tough at school? Multiply by 4
Anna Bowden
Bay of Plenty Times·
3 mins to read
Today is the first day back at school and the Jugum household is surprisingly organised.
Why wouldn't it be?
Well there's four lunches to make, four drink bottles to fill, four school bags to pack, four mouths to feed - and a set of quadruplets to organise.
Tayla, Luka, Niko and Ash Jugum
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