Back to School: Round 1

Back to school: Round 1

Are we really headed back to school this first week in August?! It’s been a fun and full summer, with lots of lazy mornings and fun adventures, and I must say I’m not quite ready for it to end. When it’s time to start a new school year, we like to celebrate the new chapter in our children’s lives with a few simple and easy things. Our Waffle House tradition began back when Mr. Dude (MD) was starting kindergarten; after the kindergarten bus-ride-along early in the morning before the first day, it seemed anticlimactic to just go home! So we went to have a special breakfast at a southern favorite, Waffle House. Now, each year on the last “school day” before school begins, MD and I go to an early breakfast at Waffle House and he can order whatever he wants.

For meet and greet day, I’m usually bouncing between volunteer duties and Mama duties, taking him to his new class, but we always make a point to choose a small gift for his new teacher to bring in either to meet & greet or on the first day of school. It’s not expensive, it gives MD an opportunity to be thoughtful, and it allows us to express our appreciation to his new teacher for all of the work I know she has already put into this class, before she’s even met them!

(As the class theme is "Rays Of Sunshine" this year--love it!!--MD helped me paint a little plaque for the classroom. It was still in progress here!)

On the big day, we love to get up early and make an extra-yummy breakfast—this year it was banana and cinnamon pancakes! The obligatory “first day of X grade” picture is taken on the front porch, the backpack is packed with a special lunch and a sweet note (but not too sweet, you know, manly still) and plenty of the most healthy snacks I’ll make all year, and then we’re off!

Since our family has one more (precious!) year in the season with one in elementary school and one in preschool, Sister doesn’t get to start school as early as Mr.Dude. I make some special plans for her so she doesn’t feel too lonely, but of course it can’t be TOO special or brother will be upset that he missed it! Today it was free time on their shared leap pad, making brownies to share with MD after school, and having a playdate with another friend still in preschool.

What do you to commemorate "back to school" time?