First Day of School
I left my girlfriends in Sun Valley, ID today in order to make it back in time to tuck my kids into bed on the eve of their first day of school. I know that there will be many first days of school but missing the first day of school for my kids wasn’t an option for me. My son doesn’t like school very much. In fact, he hates school. The combination of summer ending early for him and his learning differences (Dyslexia and Dysgraphia) means that his first day of school isn’t going to be fun for him. For years, it must have been frustrating for my son to see that his classmates had an easier time reading. I am very grateful that a year and a half ago, we found out about his learning differences because we have had lots of opportunities to support him since then. This summer, we have been stacking the deck. My son has acquired some helpful tools from awesome tutors and I think this year is going to be much better for him. Which is why I felt being home to support him for his first day of school was worth spending only one day instead of four days on my very fun Sun Valley girlfriends' trip.
Being home for my son naturally means that I am also able to support my daughter for her first day of school as well. However, for my daughter, the first day of school is so different. She’s my school lover. She is my academic hero. She will be too excited to sleep and she will be awake and ready to go early. A new school year means it’s time for new clothes, new shoes, new teachers, a new backpack and a new haircut.
The tradition continues. This year, two boxes of socks from Mini Boden instead of one and a new pair of shoes for my son.
My daughter's new shoes and socks. Checkered Vans for girls. Love.
My kids do not have to bring school supplies but I always stock up for my own desk at home because the prices are too good to pass up. This year she chose a cactus theme backpack with a pineapple pencil case that holds her ear buds and some fun highlighters.
Because she’s my school girl and sloths remind her of Costa Rica, I am giving her this cute thoughtful pinch purchased from Patina. May it remind her of my love and good wishes plus motivate her to get thru this school year so we can see some sloths in Costa Rica next summer!
New do for the Fall.
I am having a wonderful summer and I don’t want it to end. I have to admit, I avoided reading as many school emails as I could because I could not come to grips with having to get back to the grind of a routine. But school is going to start whether I like it or not so I better start embracing it. Instead of dreading the end of summer, I’m going to use the kids’ first day of school as an opportunity to begin a new routine for myself. I want to get a run or walk in before the school day starts. I want to put a real breakfast on the table and eat as a family, not in the car. I plan to get to school with more than a few seconds to spare, because it will cut down on biting off their heads when I’m stressed out. I will work on my business when the kids are in school so that I can be present for them when they come home. I will do everything in my power to have dinner with my kids at the dinner table more than five times a week. And last but certainly not least, I am vowing to go to bed early. These changes are "pie in the sky" and I already know that the changes won’t happen all at once. But there’s no time like the first day of school for this mama to give some of these changes a try.
Pinches,
Barb
