10 Things we all do at Back to School time

July 31st and here we go, 1 more week until school starts for us here in the Mid-west. In fact, many of our teacher friends are already back at work and in the classroom. Now being from New Jersey, it is absolutely appalling to think that kids are ending their summer and heading back to the classroom. I always started school after Labor Day, always. Here in the Mid-west, our kids finish mid May and start back much earlier also. We follow more of a college schedule here, I guess, with longer fall, Christmas and spring breaks built in.

I have been talking to many of my fellow Mommy friends, seeing your cute photos on Facebook and Instagram and it seems that we are all doing the same thing, that same hilarious race to get it ALL done before school begins. We are squeezing every last drop out of summer and preparing (best we can) for our littles to start their school year out right. (And if you haven’t yet, feel free to use my little list here as you mental to-do before school starts.)

Backpacks, Lunchboxes – The PotteryBarn catalog strategically lands in our mailbox exactly after the 4th of July. We have had time to think- do they really need new, personalized everything? Not really but they are so darn cute!
Haircuts – we learned from last year. We waited until the weekend before school started and couldn’t get an appointment anywhere. My oldest started kindergarten without his fresh cut. Not this year! My husband took them last weekend. Check!
Completing the Summer Bucket List- Did you make one too? Do you still have like 8 things on there? We are rushing to squeeze it all in now…One more library trip, Take them to the zoo, make that recipe, catch lightening bugs.
New school shoes – I had exactly 1 free hour with them today after work. We stopped at Carnival Shoe Store for Nikes and to take advantage of their BOGO. They raced up and down the aisles and don’t you know it, they found the FASTEST shoes in the store!
School Supplies! This list has been available since May? And here we are, adding that on to our to do list the week before school starts. Tissues, pencils, scissors, folders and so on- we got this!
School clothes shopping – They will be wearing their summer shorts and tees for at least another 2 months but somehow we feel compelled to pick up a few new items for those first day of school pics…
Getting the chalkboard ready – some Moms are so amazingly prepared for that infamous First Day of school shot, that they have ordered these pre-printed, online or made their chalkboard with their current age, the date and their grade…
What teacher does he/she have? Here we go, finally the chance to look online, or posted up on the school door immediately as it is available. And then what do we do? Text one another or post to Facebook to figure out who is in who’s class. “Mrs G? Yeah, we had her last year and loved her! Those poor teachers, I think. We can’t help it- we are excited too! Of course we LOVE them all and I honestly think that if they are teaching at this school, they definitely are amazing.
Earlier bed times- Have your kids been up until 9, 10 PM this summer? Have they had a bedtime? We feel compelled to prepare them for the early to bed and early to rise routine so that they (literally) don’t miss the bus.
And last but not least, we hug them, kiss them and hold them a little tighter. They have grown almost a foot it seems, added a few more freckles, have a few cuts and scrapes from their bikes, and we made a million memories this summer and yet we all think the same, how has it passed us by already?

Whether you have a month or a week or just a day until school starts, enjoy the last moments before the big change and adjustment that is before us and the mad rush of the beginning of school. All too soon we will be meeting new teachers, filling out all the papers and forms, they will be doing homework and making new friends. In all of the craziness that comes with this, take a deep breath and enjoy this time too. Best Wishes to you and your kiddos for your very best school year yet! I am saying an extra prayer to all of the teachers getting ready to embrace their new class. (And an extra hug to all my friends sending their first to kindergarten!)

xoxo, Kim