If your kids will be schooling from home full time this fall ....

[Anonymous]

If it's within your financial means, OP definitely get a first day of school outfit and take a photo! It IS the first day of school, even if it isn't in a school building.

We normally celebrate the last day of school with a trip to the ice cream store so instead we had a massive build your own sundae bar and run through the sprinkler afternoon back in June. These little things help preserve some sense of routine or normalcy for some kids and even some adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you buying them a first day of school outfit, or skipping it?

My DDs will be doing online school full time, and today at bedtime DD burst into tears. "We didn't get last day of school ice cream, we're not going to get new shoes for the start of school, we're not going to do first day frozen yogurt, and we're probably not even also going to get a first day of school outfit!"

To be honest none of these things had occurred to me at all - I had no idea DD was keeping track. Younger DD heard Older DD's outburst and nodded solemnly in solidarity. What's everyone else doing about these traditions?

I'm curious, how old are your kids? I have twin six-year-old girls and they have never mentioned getting new shoes for school or a first day of school outfit, but maybe that's because I just buy them clothes and shoes year round as needed? I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

I have never tried treats to success or accomplishments. So the ice cream and frozen yogurt are possible in the house, but not tied to first/last day.

We do new clothes and shoes when people NEED them (kids and adults). That means it’s highly unlikely that a child would have clothes that have never been worn on the first day of school, and I’m certainly not buying outfits that will never be worn as such!

With that said, traditions are important to kids. We have different traditions, so if those were ours, I think I would still do them, but safely (and cheaper). Have frozen yogurt sundaes at home after the first day. Get a new dress or shirt, but unless they’re outgrowing (or have destroyed) their skirts/shorts/pants, they don’t need more. Same applies to shoes. Remind your DDs that part of what they enjoy is comparing their clothes on the first day to others, and they can still do that with a new top (bottom half won’t be visible anyway). Personally, I’d also discuss why kids comparing clothes bothers me (wasteful, classist, etc).

[Anonymous]

We homeschool and always celebrate “Not Back to School Day”. Whatever day the local schools go back, we do not do school. In fact, I tell the kids things like, “You are not allowed to work in your spelling books today. If I see you touch that workbook again, you will have a consequence.” And silly stuff like that. They LOVE it. I take the kids for a special outing and treat. Often involves playground, shopping, ice cream, etc. I know some of these are off limits but maybe you could do something special instead of school on that day in a safe way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never tried treats to success or accomplishments. So the ice cream and frozen yogurt are possible in the house, but not tied to first/last day.

We do new clothes and shoes when people NEED them (kids and adults). That means it’s highly unlikely that a child would have clothes that have never been worn on the first day of school, and I’m certainly not buying outfits that will never be worn as such!

With that said, traditions are important to kids. We have different traditions, so if those were ours, I think I would still do them, but safely (and cheaper). Have frozen yogurt sundaes at home after the first day. Get a new dress or shirt, but unless they’re outgrowing (or have destroyed) their skirts/shorts/pants, they don’t need more. Same applies to shoes. Remind your DDs that part of what they enjoy is comparing their clothes on the first day to others, and they can still do that with a new top (bottom half won’t be visible anyway). Personally, I’d also discuss why kids comparing clothes bothers me (wasteful, classist, etc).

Same. I’d commemorate in our usual way. But no I don’t buy a growing child a brand new summer outfit in late August.

[Anonymous]

We always got a first day of school outfit - the only clothes we got between summer wardrobe and our fall bday. The sales are great so we could actually afford clothes I wanted - not sure why you think OP is spoiling her kids by buying them one outfit.

Keep what traditions your kids care about where you can!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wut? I didn’t buy a “first day of school outfit” when they were physically going to the school.

I don’t either, but it sounds like it is a tradition in OP’s family, so I would keep up with it in that case if possible.

[Anonymous]

My rising high schoolers will get new clothes. Whether they pick a new outfit for the first day or remix old clothing is up to them.

I did ask each to decide what school supplies they really need and be thrifty. For DD that means reusing some materials from last year. We’re in the process of adopting my son and he cane to us from his last guardian with very little immediately after his school year ended. We will buy him new everything, but conservative amounts.

[Anonymous]

my rising third grader asked about the same things. I told her we would get a back to school outfit and get new shoes. I will take pictures in front of the house and we will have a special meal.

[Anonymous]

I've always done a back to school shopping trip in late August -- we'll grab some new stationery supplies from Target and maybe a nice new pair of fall PJs. It's a way to put a concrete reminder that summer is drawing to a close.

First day of school tradition is that kids decide what is for dinner, and we usually have a small cake.

Haven't decided what to do this year. I think we'll do some "clearing out" of summer stuff and move in some new fall things, and maybe set up a more formal spot for calls. Back of my kid's bedroom door (which is in the zoom shot) still has kinder artwork, and we are a few years past that.

[Anonymous]

Never even thought about continuing first day of school traditions, but I probably will do them now. I have one that's stressed by all of those, so keeping the first day traditions may help him. I'll probably think of something different when they physically make it back into the buildings.

[Anonymous]

My rising 5th grader loves those traditions! We haven't been able to keep them in the same way as before, but I like to still mark important days with a little something. We actually had a really good DL experience, but especially with missing friends and teachers it's felt especially important to keep traditions, especially since this has now become something longer than just hunkering down for a couple of weeks.

We did last day of school movie & popcorn, and will also do last day of summer special dinner (ordering in instead of restaurant this year), and first day of school picture and new outfit. For distance learning dd didn't really *need* anything new, but I have been putting away a couple of little school supply things that I think will be fun for her (cute pens, water bottle, sticky notes).

[Anonymous]

Instead of buying new school clothes we are buying things for their rooms (where their distance learning takes place).

They have desks, but now they are getting a desk lamp, new mouse, keyboard, monitor, for a full office like set-up.

My daughter (14 rising HS freshman) wanted some craft type of activities. My son (17 rising senior) asked to paint his room and get new bedding. Anything, within reason, to make their lives easier for the next six months. They can get new school clothes in January, assuming we go back in February.