As thousands of carefree students headed back to school some parents were still anxious to know in which class their child would be spending this scholastic year.
Other parents looked forward to the routine brought about by school days but dreaded having to get their children to study.
Others still, especially those whose children are in Years 5 and 6, were concerned about the impact the planned education reform might have on their offspring.
Natasha Camilleri knew that her five-year-old daughter, Jade, had fun on her very first day at school the second she saw her.
"When I picked her up her hair was all undone. Then she could not stop talking about her day," Ms Camilleri said, adding that her mind was at rest because Jade had the same teacher who taught her in kindergarten.
Jade started Year 1 in a state school. "She was very excited about starting school. She wanted to sleep with her uniform on," her mother said.
Six-year-old Matthew also enjoyed his first day in Year 2 at a state school. "He came back home happy, which makes me happy," his mother, Michelle Vella, said, adding that she was relieved to know he liked his teacher.
"Teachers are very important as they make the child either love or hate school. I think children also need some discipline, which, however, does not take away the fun side of school, so the teacher is everything," she said.
Another mother, who preferred not to be named, held her breath until she heard from her 11-year-old daughter who started Year 6 in a new school. Her daughter moved to a Church school after spending five years in another school.
The mother was concerned she might not make friends. "But I was relieved when she came home from school happy. She already made a friend. You know how girls are at that age! They would have formed tight-knit friendships. I was worried she might not fit in," she said.
Elizabeth Spiteri's 10-year-old daughter, Rebecca, started Year 6 at the new state school in Pembroke.
"She loves school and was excited to be meeting her friends again. She was also excited as she was starting school in a new building," Ms Spiteri said, admitting that one thing was worrying her. Being in a state school, Rebecca would have to sit for junior lyceum exams this year to move on to secondary school. Her mother was worried because of the uncertainties of the planned reform.
The reform, expected to be implemented in 2011, will revise the examination system that leads to the streaming of students. It plans to move towards a more inclusive system based on each student's level of attainment in individual subjects.
The government had announced that Year 5 and 6 students would not be affected by the reform. However, the new system still needs to be officially approved by Parliament.
Meanwhile, the father of an 11-year-old girl, who just started Form 1 in a private school, was concerned as this year was an important one because it had an impact on the subjects she would choose next year.
Apart from this academic concern, he said, there was also the social factor. "She reached the age when she wants to socialise more... During her free time she wants to be on the phone with her friends and this can be a distraction from her studies. She also wants to join online networking sites like MSN and Facebook but she's too young," he said.