Back to School Ritual Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes: What's Your Back to School Ritual?

*Updated 9/7/10-- Congratulations to Kate Johnson of lonek8.com! Kate told us what back to school rituals inspire her. Kate will receive a $250 Gift Card to Old Navy! Thanks for entering Kate and good luck going back to school!

This year, going back to school has more meaning than ever becuase, gulp... In just a few weeks, my son will be starting preschool. Sniff...

Like most parents, I worry how he will adjust into his new environment. Will he make friends? Will he like his teachers? Will he have the only working mom who maybe let's him watch Mary Poppins in bed... eating dinner? All these questions swirl and though he seems entirely excited for the chance to be a "big boy," one thing is certain: this will be one big transition... for both of us.

Because I am a full time working mom, my son is accustomed to saying goodbye to me on a daily. However, starting preschool seems like a bigger deal. Something that deserves a little pomp and circumstance (and maybe a few tears for the first week or so...) So, I've decided that I want to do something special-- a tradition, or ritual that will honor and preserve this very new and exciting chapter in our lives. Something that my son can count on every day....

What do YOU do every year when school starts? It can be anything... Ice cream after school on the first day, back to school shopping, notes in a lunch box... Anything!

Leave a comment and tell us your favorite back to school ritual and you will be entered to win $250 gift certificate to Old Navy! (Hello, fall wardrobe!)

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Showing the Latest of 78 Comments

patricia.a..hof...
1 years ago

Our back to school ritual is throwing a Thank God they're back in School brunch for all the moms. If we are sad, we can comisserate (sp?), or celebrate if we're happy.

Nicole B
1 years ago

Our family takes first morning photos and puts a photo of the family in lunchboxes too. But this year for my daughter's first day of preschool, we went a little early and took a lot of pictures of her classroom and playground. We took photos of the rug area, the class rules, the science center, her teachers, even the bathroom (since she's newly potty-trained, this is a big deal still). While she was in school, I printed the photos and then put them in a photo album with easy captions. When she came home, I gave her the photo book so we could "read" it together and talk about her day, like where she sat on the rug and what toys she played with. She loves showing it to grandparents and aunts and uncles who wouldn't normally get to see what the inside of her class looks like. I'll keep taking pictures and adding to the book and in June will make her a digital hardcover book that she can keep as a kind of yearbook.

amy.harada
1 years ago

Cute video! Our back-to-school ritual begins with a huge breakfast on the first day of school, followed by a big to-do about my daughter putting on her new clothes, and then a picture taken of her outside of our house. She always holds up a whiteboard in front of her with the words, First Day of School, her grade, and the date written on it. We are making a scrapbook of these pictures to show how much she has changed over the years. We put "love notes" in her lunchbox, and then we have her favorite food for dinner that evening and discuss what happened on her first day. The first day of school is always a special day for all of us.

Jennifer Brandt
1 years ago

Love the idea of a whiteboard with a sign. So cute! I'm so doing that. Thank you for sharing! Jennifer Brandt Managing Editor, Parents Ask & Momversation twitter: @Jennifer_Brandt

beingsuper
1 years ago

Our biggest back to school ritual is when my husband takes our kids school supply shopping. I'm not invited to come..it just dad and the kids. They go shopping, get all their gear and then go out to lunch, dinner or dessert (depending on time of day). I get some alone time and the kids get some daddy time. The only drawback is that dad is usually a sucker for unneeded items and ends up spending waaaay more money than I would. I also write each of my kids a note and put it in their backpack for the first day of school and my younger ones get special cookie cutter sandwiches in their lunchboxes. @BeingSuper

Jennifer Brandt
1 years ago

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing! Jennifer Brandt Managing Editor, Parents Ask & Momversation twitter: @Jennifer_Brandt

MeMyselfandMommy
1 years ago

My little one isn't school age yet, but I remember some of the back to school rituals my mom implemented. Before school began we had to clean our room top-to-bottom and inside-out. We had to go through every article of clothing we owned and weed out the ones that were too small. After our rooms were spotless and our closets a little bit emptier, THEN we could go back to school shopping. We shopped all day long for school supplies and clothes. Being the nerd that I am, I enjoyed picking out new notebooks and pencils more so than the clothes ;-)

Jennifer Brandt
1 years ago

You hardly seem like a nerd :-) Thanks for sharing! Jennifer Brandt Managing Editor, Parents Ask & Momversation twitter: @Jennifer_Brandt

statia
1 years ago

Since my son is just starting out (second year of preschool), we don't really have a ritual yet, but I do want to start doing something special. I like the photo idea. Right now, we took him to get a new backpack, and let him pick it out himself, as well as his new sneakers. That was a highlight for him. Especially the backpack. He's so proud.

Jennifer Brandt
1 years ago

So cute re: the backpack. thanks for sharing! Jennifer Brandt Managing Editor, Parents Ask & Momversation twitter: @Jennifer_Brandt

Sweepstakes: What's Your Back to School Ritual?

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