Miss C, August 2007, first week of kindergarten.
We have a winner! Daleen from Smiling Mama of Two, who commented “We go through all of last years school supplies. just to make sure that I can be more frugal by not “doubling” up on things. My son is going to “Middle School” this year. We are all really excited. Lots of pictures to be taken that 1st day!” is the winner of the $100 Visa Gift Card.
”I find it incredibly hard to believe Miss C starts second grade next month. One day she was a chubby cheeked, wispy headed toddler learning her colors at daycare and the next day she was telling me she wanted a leopard print backpack and lunchbox and pierced ears.
I must admit I get excited about the notion of shopping for school supplies. It takes me back to the days when my mom would take me to Eckles just off the square in my small hometown. This was before WalMart and Target became prevalent and when Grease, not High School Musical, was all the rage. We’d stroll through aisles of neatly stacked workbooks and the whole place smelled of paper and pencil shavings and pristine erasers and held the promise of new beginnings, new friends to make, new things to learn, and new ways to avoid eating cafeteria green beans.
Back to school shopping is just not that simple any more. Last year we hit every super store and office supply chain in two counties to track down the supplies on Miss C’s first grade list. By the time we made it to the checkout line at each store I was bedraggled and cursing the shortage of Fiskars scissors in girl friendly colors and solid-colored pronged folders. We won’t talk about the run on 10 cent glue sticks at WalMart that nearly caused a stampede. Catfights are already a given there, especially in the heat of August.
After getting completely burned out on shopping for school supplies last year, somehow I managed to miss the end-of-the year sign up for pre-packaged school supply packs. Seriously, is there a worse time to send out announcements than May when you’ve already OD’d on field trip forms, permission slips, and other announcements related to end of school year festivities?
Take it from me all you elementary school newbies. Shopping for school supplies is not as romantic as you recall from your own childhood. It’s best to leave that memory unmarred, like a shiny new Trapper Keeper notebook, and fork over the extra bucks so someone else can shop for you.
p.s. I have a tradition of taking Miss C’s picture on the first day of school out on the front walk by our house. It’s a great way to gauge how much she’s changed from year to year and something I hope she’ll enjoy looking back on some day.
Lots of us are gearing up for school – an exciting, fun and sometimes, hectic time. Hallmark has put together this great resource to help you calm the butterflies and build your kids’ confidence. Just for joining the conversation you’ll be entered to win $500. Check it out.
One lucky BlondeMomBlog reader will also win a $100 Visa gift card to help out with their back-to-school shopping! Simply leave a comment on this post by midnight August 8 about your family’s back-to-school tradition or any advice you have for parents sending their child to school for the first time this fall. A random winner will be chosen from all eligible comments.
Disclosure: This post and giveaway sponsored by Hallmark.
We lay out the clothes the night before and always take the obligatory photo in the driveway.
My advice would be to keep a look out all year long for great deals on school supplies…I love clearance isles! Stock up! This way you are not spending it all at once. Also, be prepared the night before to make mornings a little easier!!
On the first day of school we have a big family breakfast and then get everybody ready to go and we take the traditional “first day of school” photos. Nobody likes it right now but I think they’ll enjoy seeing them when they are grown.
Thanks for the chance to win!
We would go and get new backpacks every year. It was a fun thing to get to pick out a new bag to have for the year and the shopping trip with my mom, brother and I would be a fun day for everyone.
The weekend before school starts we always go camping. It’s kind of a last hurrah for the kids to enjoy some free time before the school year starts. It’s been a tradition since the kids were really little.
The weekend before school starts is my birthday, so we always go up to our cottage and have a big family get together with all our relatives… It’s a great party and we have lots of fun! My advice for first-timer parents is to just believe that your son/daughter is going to be just fine, dont get so worried. Then at the end of the day when you pick them up, your child will be overjoyed to see you.
My advice to parents who are about to send thier kids to school for the first time would be to relax. Don’t get anxious and nervous. Your child will pick up on those feelings.
My advice for parent is to go shopping now for deals on clothes, school supples, etc. Don’t wait till the week before so you are not stressed out when school starts!
Start early! Shop clearance for school clothes. It is still hot when school starts around here, so my kids don’t want new sweaters.
look and compare sales and deals at local stores to get the best buys
Make it fun! Invent some games around organizing the working/studying place and buying new supplies & clothes. Use old things to make new ones etc.
This is my daughters first year of school, but I will be doing the same thing with her that my mom did with me. We made a date out of shopping for school clothes. Shopped, then ate lunch, shopped some more then got our nails done. It was fun! My daughter won’t be getting her nails done, but we will go get our hair cut! Lots of good advice here for first timers!
.-= Sheila Hickmon´s last blog ..My blogging buddy =-.
Just remember, kids are very adjustable! Don’t worry about them. I cried all day the first day my daughter started school. I was so worried about her but she loved it and still does and is in high school now! You will actually come to LOVE the first day of school each year
The weekend before school starts we always took our three boys out to dine at a nice restaurant. We let them order a full meal with appetizers and dessert. They always looked forward to it every year.
Our family tradition had been to go out to the kids’ favorite restaurant on the evening before the first day of school. Thanks for this offer.
Every year, I get the kids together about a week before school starts, and we make a list of what everyone thinks they need. Then, we cross the list off together of things that are less important, or that we already have. After that, as a family, we plan a movie to go to if everyone behaves and does not ask for more than what’s on the list. No one wants to be the party pooper, so the kids stay on their best behavior, and we never deter from the list.
Our main back to school tradition is the picture on the first day as well—usually with one of the cats or the dog or the hamster—or various combinations thereof
One of our back to school traditions is to take a picture (just like you do) about the first day of school.
My fave picture is my girl’s 1st grade picture. I thought it would be nice to have her sit in her little rocking chair. Apparently, all the animals thought so, too. First the siamese leaped into her lap. Click. Then the Lhasa Apso sat pretty as you please beside the chair facing the camera. Click. Then my alley cat thought she should get involved and moved the Siamese to sit primly on the girl’s lap (my cat doesn’t sit on laps unless she deems it worth her while). Click.
It is fun to take these pics. Keep up the tradition!
Buy now, We have been buying online, so we did not have to fight the crowds.
Our favorite back to school memories are of getting to select the back to school supplies ourselves especially lunch boxes, notebooks and backpacks! Thanks! senekers {at} comcast(.)net
My advice is to shop during tax free weekend! It isn’t a huge savings, but every little bit helps!
I pricematch a lot of things.
check out local thrift stores for one of a kind items and uniforms. Also freecycle is a great way to get and give recyclable items
My advice to parents sending their children to school for the first time is to relax – If you get weepy and panicked, then your kids will be scared and get panicked too! Send them off on their way with a hug and a smile, then you can do whatever you need to once they’re gone! They’ll come home after a day’s adventure and you’ll wonder what on earth you were so worried about
My advice is to go to bed early. No, not just the kids, but the parents. You’ll need a good nights rest..trust me.
Thanks
Our school starts back a little later than most, usually the first or second week of September, so I wait until that week to buy backpack and supplies…and its all on clearance!
My advice is to get as much as you can ready the night before. Pick out the clothes to wear, prepare as much of their lunch as possible and gather up papers, books, etc. and put them in the backpack. Thanks for the giveaway!
braaisjo at gmail.dot com
I never wait till last min to buy back to school stuff….......i usually find most every thing i need on clearance at one time or another ,that way i avoid all the crowd.
I always put a stash of the basics aside for mid-year. There seems to be a never-ending need for extra pens and pencils, a folder or two and spiral notebooks. Thanks for the giveaway.
We always go shopping during no-tax weekend and stock up on everything that we need- which nowadays is school uniforms.
For back to school I always make festive cupcakes the week before to get them excited.
tderning at gmail dot com
back to school tradition is going to the grocery store and everyone picking what they want for their lunches for the first week of school.
tukibird22 {at} gmail(.)com
My tidbit of useful information would be to collect school supplies all summer long, when they are on sale. Get more than you think you will need, because that still will not be enough. Thank you for having this giveaway.
litefoot873 (@) hotmail.com
.-= Donna M. Clark´s last blog ..Bloodhound- By Tamora Pierce =-.
I buy my kids’ clothes in the off-season when they all go on clearance. When it’s time for back-to-school clothes, I just pull them out of the basement.
I always enjoyed a special afternoon snack while telling mom all about my new teachers and classes.
.-= Auriette´s last blog ..Storm Safety for Your Data =-.
Our family tradition is to do something fun as a family the night before school starts and to hand out school supplies.
This year money is really tight. I shopped all the discount and thrift stores, and much to my daughters delight, she is happy with all the reasonably priced back-to-school fashions. With the savings I was able to get teacher wish list items, as well as hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and hand soap. These will help to fight those cold and the returning H1N1 flu germs.
A little note in the lunchbox goes a long way in reminding them you are thinking of them throughout the day.
At our house we spend the day before the first day of school out together with each other as a family. Breakfast, the island & then dinner. There are also back to school morning photos & the clearance isle for back to school deals! We always stock up on lined paper, it’s always so much cheaper during back to school time!
Our tradition was that on the first day back to school, we’d make eggs, bacon & toast for breakfast. We made time to cook a good breakfast. Otherwise, all the other days are poptarts!
I am buying clothes for my kids throughout the year, constantly on the lookout for the best prices possible. It pays off. The only items I have left to buy for my three daughters are shoes and a couple of pairs of jeans.
A tradition my mom started was making chocolate malt-o-meal with a face made out of marshmallows and raisins for the first day of school!
.-= Chrysa ´s last blog ..Free Sample of Nutland Crunch =-.
Advice for parents/guardians sending their child to school this fall: Before purchasing items for the new school year, make sure to check your school’s dress code. Dress code may not only refer to the type/style of clothing, but also brand, color choice and print/pictures (such as skulls, ads, verbage) on any possessions. (These later types of dress code violations are primarily to discourage gang affiliation & depending on the city &/or school district, it can even apply to grade school, kindergarten, & pre-school levels.) Avoid having your child go through one of these scenarios for items against dress code: sent home to change, made to wear T-shirts (which may not fit) stocked for dress code violations, made to wear clothing inside out, confiscation of possessions – even school supplies – that are against code.
I went and entered over there.
A tradition is taking a pic on the first day of school
Something that I would suggest for parents sending their first child off to school is to make sure that their child has shoes that they can put on themselves (if they can’t tie laces, make sure they’re slip on athletic shoes or velcro), and that they can button and zip themselves.
With as many as 30 little bodies in a classroom, a teacher can’t be making sure the kids are all dressed to play outside.
Being a stay at home mom, I always zipped and tied for my daughter so she didn’t know how when school started, I wish I would have taught her before we sent her off!
.-= Tammy´s last blog ..Back To School with Office Max and Peter Walsh =-.
Take a first day back to school photo (either singularly or as a goup), these will be fun to look back on and help ease first day nervousness
Make a special breakfast and talk about what school is for. Thanks for the contest.
We always take a picture by the school bus on the first day.
My little one is too small for either. I get her to myself for a while longer, lol!
Such a great giveaway. I could really use this right now. Thanks