OT First day of school

[htmom]

My son is starting kindergarten this year. I want a first day tradition that we can do every year. My mom took pics of us on our first day but I don't have any for my 11th and 12th grade years because she was sick then passed on. Does your family have any traditions you do for the first day or leading up to it? Thanks everyone so much.

 

[nessz79]

I remember we'd get an outfit for our 1st day and do pictures as you mentioned.

Interested in seeing answers also, as mine will be starting K next year.

 

[r4blessings]

We take the same pic each year in the same spot, ever since pre-k. This year will be the first year in 6 that our chocolate lab won't be in the photo (he died in june )
But we also make signs each year that the kids hold up in their photos. We make them out of oaktag so they are pretty big and decorate and color with markers and glitter. Something like "Katie starts Pre-k 2007" and sometimes the days/hours they attend if it is prek or just the grade and elementary school if they are in grade school. Fun to see how little they are holding up the sign and now my ds9 seems so big holding up his!

Good luck! Don't forget a special breakfast!

 

[Nanu57v]

My family didn't eat out much, so every year for the first day of school my brother and I each got to pick a place to go out for dinner (different days of course).

 

[disneyjunkie]

I always take a picture of my son on the first day of school.

I also make his favorite dinner. Sometimes it was spaghetti. A few years it was hot dogs. The last 5 years it's been chili, rice and cornbread.

I only have 2 more first days of school left before he heads off to college.

 

[Mary Anne]

only have 2 more first days of school left before he heads off to college

I only have one before my youngest leaves. The years go far too fast.

 

[lisadoll93]

disneyjunkie-

I love that picture. It crackes me up



We are going to have our 1st 1st day of school. DD is starting K. I am so not ready for her to go

 

[Stimpy]

We do a photo in front of a tree in our yard. The tree is growing as our kids are getting older. We also go out to Friendly's (ice cream restaurant) for dinner on the 1st day of school....kind of a last summer treat. But then again, we find any excuse to go there since I hate to cook, they hate to eat what I do make and we all agree to go there to eat for any occasion

 

[2cutekidz]

This one isn't mine, but DD starts kindergarten this year and we will be doing this.

Get Dr. Suess "The Places You'll Go" (I think that's the title). Have the Teacher sign and at the end of the year add a message to your child. Each year have the new teacher do the same. Years from now, at graduation give your child the book. It will make a memorable gift and a great tradition. Try not to let your child know what you are doing - it'll be a surprise at graduation!

Hope this makes sense, it's not sounding right.

 

[tonilea]

If you think you will be living in your current location for a while, I would plant a tree and take the photo by the tree each year.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

DS starts kindergarten tomorrow! Oh my, the tears are starting already! I still can't believe the time has come. (yes we start early here- it's a year round school) I really love the idea of taking a pic out in front of a tree, to see how the child and the tree grows each year. Looks like I will be doing that tomorrow morning I also really like the idea of the Dr. Seuss book, but honestly I don't think I would remember it each year

 

[CEDmom]

I take a picture of DD and include her lunch box and backpack so she can see what she was into when she's all grown up.

 

[MomofCKJ]

I make a nice pancake breakfast and we do the same picture each year in front of the house. They hold a paper that says First Day of ...... and whatever grade it is with the year. This is my youngest's first time going off to kindergarden too. He is SO excited to ride the bus with his older sisters!

Allyson

 

[DisneyRockStarMommy]

The night before my kids together decide the menu and then we sit and eat at the "special table" we only eat in our living room during Christmas and the first day of a new school year...we make letter and number pancakes (you take a turkey bastor and insert the batter at the top then squeeze it out in whatever letter, number, or shape they want...the night before we also have cookies and milk and story time (my daughter age 12 would HATE me for writing this on a thread where everyone can see OMG!!!) Just a tradition started in Pre-K with my DD and well we've kept it up since to my daughter we will read this book that we read every year and my son a book about trucks, bugs, knights, heros, starting school, etc.

 

[ksumn1]

We also take a picture the 1st day of school, but I also take a picture on Open House day too. DH and I (he takes off work) take DD to school and me, DH, my Mom and my grandmother are all waiting when they get off the bus at the end of the day. My 4 year old will be going to Pre-K at the same scholl as my DD who's in the third grade. I'm already having a hard time....I lost it when we packed her bookbag the other day. She was sooo sweet "It's OK Mom, I'll come home every day. And I'll draw you lots of pictures"

Time sure does fly by. I'm going back to work just so I don't wander around the empty house all day when they're at school.

 

[McKelly]

I get a cake when they are at school and have them write "Happy First Day of School" on it, and I get my kids a small present. And of course, I take a picture of them holding the cake.

 

[htmom]

Thanks all for the wonderful ideas! You are the best!

 

[bzzymom]

DS goes to private school and has to wear a uniform. Irt is kind of cool though, because when I look at the pics, it really shows how much he has grown. What I had done in the past is take a pic with DS and his teacher outside the classroom on the first day of school. This was great for 3yr preK-3rd grade. But last year, DS was in 4th grade which is in a building for 4th-8th grades, and he didn't want his mom to come in and take a picture with him and his teacher, so we took one outside at home. Then, since out first day of school is only a 1/2 day, I take DS out to lunch anywhere he wants to go.

 

[aksunshine]

DD starts K this year too! Thanks for the ideas. I really like the book, I hope I remember at the end of the year!

 

[schlepsnort]

Actually a coworker and I were discussing this topic at work this weekend. She came across an article in Family Fun (?) Magazine where they suggest giving your child a disposable camera to take to school on the first day and take pictures of the teacher/classroom/classmates...which at first I thought would be cool but then again not sure what the school rules may be about taking pictures?

Our first son is starting K in 3 weeks and the night before he starts we are having a cake made like a schoolbus with his picture and his brother's picture (he's starting preK) and having a little party for them. That's when they are getting their new school bags full of their school supplies.

On the actual day we always take their picture by the front door and at the preschool they have a Big Bird stand that they put outside that welcomes them to their first day and we take a picture in front of that at the beginning and end of the school year.

I am excited for both of them to be starting school, I still have one more ds who will be home with me so I think I'm looking forward to having only one child at home for at least a few hours!