Jackie McGregor: ​Sunset on the school years and the dawn of a million dreams

So, this was it. We had come to the end of his school days. Suddenly, I felt a little teary. How did we arrive here so fast? When he was born, people told me to enjoy every moment of his childhood as it would swiftly pass. They were right!

It seemed like yesterday we were preparing for nursery school. With him being an only child, I worried about him socialising, but he came out that first day with a little best friend, who remained so right through primary school.

The nursery year had been a difficult one, not because of any school problems, but with the constant viruses that kept hitting us both. I had worried about every eventuality before he’d started nursery but never entertained the concept of it being a germ factory and I’d be its best customer! He only managed to attend three full weeks in a row, the rest of his time there was erratic, as we continuously battled the virus of the week.

Next came the primary school years. I was very much a co-pilot on this journey. Our days were bound together, with school runs, playdates, World Book Day Costumes, homework, then the lead up to the dreaded transfer test.

For years he was desperate to perform at the annual primary school talent competition, but his hip-hop dancing never got him past the auditions. Then I suggested he do comedy. His audition won him the golden buzzer through to the final where he tickled the audience with jokes including:

“My headmaster asked me how many teachers I thought worked at the school? I don’t know Sir,” I replied, “about half of them?”

When he won the entire competition, I almost exploded with pride.

They were a lovely seven years for both of us, which I wrote about weekly in Jackie’s World.

On the final day of Primary 7, parents and kids gathered for the last time. We all cried when the children sang, “A Million Dreams,” about the world they were going to make. It remains one of my most moving experiences.

And suddenly it was time for me to exit stage left, as I stepped away from involvement in his school days and he began Belfast Royal Academy.

Again, he emerged that first day with a new best friend, who’s still by his side. He’d formed a new double act, as I stepped back from an active role in his education and proudly watched him grow into the diligent, principled, independent young man he has become.

This time of year marks transitions for parents and children, whether it's leaving nursery, primary, or secondary school. These changes alter the parent-child relationship. With each stage you metaphorically begin to feel your child’s hand slipping from yours. Parenthood is a gradual process of detachment.

Then, just like that, school’s out forever. University/college/work beckons, and you must take an even bigger step back.

As our children embark on their own path, closeness may lessen, but our hearts will continue to walk around with them forever, as we set them free to pursue a million dreams.

The emperor’s new clothes: it’s not fashion, it’s simply nudie bits!

​I gagged on my croissant as I viewed photos from The Met Gala. “Put it away love,” I spluttered as I glimpsed a snatch of actress Halle Berry’s privates. Berry appeared to have forgotten to put on her panties!

The transparent dress she was wearing left nothing to the imagination. I am now far more familiar with Ms Berry’s bits than I’d like. A sight not conducive to the digestion of my breakfast. Though I felt smugly satisfied to see evidence through her sheer gown that Halle may not be a stranger to a French pastry herself!

The “naked look” has become a staple for red-carpet events. None have sported it quite so spectacularly as Kanye West’s wife, Bianca Censori. She attended this year’s Grammy Awards in a fur coat which she dropped to the ground to reveal a completely see-through dress and nothing else. A classic case of all fur coat and no … underwear!

Designers are increasingly incorporating nude elements into their collections under the guise of a shift towards freedom of expression and a challenge to traditional formal wear. It’s a case of the emperor’s new clothes. This isn’t style, it’s simply about not wearing much clothing and a way for celebrity exhibitionists to ensure media coverage. Let’s not pretend it’s fashion. Nudie bits have offered a fleeting shock, but true fashion is not about what it reveals, it’s about creating garments with craftsmanship and brilliant concepts that remain awe-inspiring decades later, like the stunning creations of Hollywood costume designer, Edith Head.