First Day of School - Couldn’t Care Less?

[Anonymous]

My 15 year old was excited. Like you mentioned OP, she loves getting school supplies, new pencil case, back to school shopping and clothes, new locker, catching up with people she didn’t see over the summer. She likes new classes, finding out who her teachers are, comparing schedules, football games, parties and she enjoys the general busyness that fall brings.

My middle schooler does not enjoy school quite as much BUT she does like the supply & clothes shopping and getting prepared aspect .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My two kids, 13 and 11, start school tomorrow. They register absolutely zero excitement. Is this normal now?

I remember being all about my school supplies—organizing them, being jazzed about my sweet colored pencil set or whatever, planning out what I was going to wear. I talked to friends on the phone about who had which teachers, who got assigned to which lunch, etc. All that silly stuff. But it was always a fun time of year and on balance a good memory.

DCs have NONE of this. No interest in like, getting a haircut or a new shirt or anything.

Totally fine with me, and maybe it’s for the best. I just can’t tell if it’s my two kids who are like this, or is it everyone?

Id guess it’s in part because kids now can get pretty much anything they want in 12 hours from Amazon? Going back to school isn’t a big deal when they play Fortnite with their friends all summer?

School isn't fun anymore. My kid is pretty amenable and goes with the flow. But, there is ZERO excitement for school. It's a "check the box" existence and they are herded around like cattle all day. No flexibility. They get 20 min. this year to wolf down lunch. It's miserable. I can't say as I blame her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two kids, 13 and 11, start school tomorrow. They register absolutely zero excitement. Is this normal now?

I remember being all about my school supplies—organizing them, being jazzed about my sweet colored pencil set or whatever, planning out what I was going to wear. I talked to friends on the phone about who had which teachers, who got assigned to which lunch, etc. All that silly stuff. But it was always a fun time of year and on balance a good memory.

DCs have NONE of this. No interest in like, getting a haircut or a new shirt or anything.

Totally fine with me, and maybe it’s for the best. I just can’t tell if it’s my two kids who are like this, or is it everyone?

Id guess it’s in part because kids now can get pretty much anything they want in 12 hours from Amazon? Going back to school isn’t a big deal when they play Fortnite with their friends all summer?

School isn't fun anymore. My kid is pretty amenable and goes with the flow. But, there is ZERO excitement for school. It's a "check the box" existence and they are herded around like cattle all day. No flexibility. They get 20 min. this year to wolf down lunch. It's miserable. I can't say as I blame her.

How was school fun before in a way that doesn’t exist now? I went to Catholic school so I didn’t have the traditional middle/high school experience my kids are having. My high schooler actually really loves school; my middle schooler hates it. She says the teachers yell all the time, the kids are annoying and the work is boring (although 8th seems to be much better than 7th grade was!). I’m wondering how schools made it more enjoyable before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you get excited to go back to work after vacation? I know I don't.

This. Not even if I'm taking a shiny new pen souvenir with me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you get excited to go back to work after vacation? I know I don't.

This. Not even if I'm taking a shiny new pen souvenir with me

Bad comparison. School is where your friends are. It’s where you get to socialize. Middle school not so much, depends on the kid, but high school can be quite fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two kids, 13 and 11, start school tomorrow. They register absolutely zero excitement. Is this normal now?

I remember being all about my school supplies—organizing them, being jazzed about my sweet colored pencil set or whatever, planning out what I was going to wear. I talked to friends on the phone about who had which teachers, who got assigned to which lunch, etc. All that silly stuff. But it was always a fun time of year and on balance a good memory.

DCs have NONE of this. No interest in like, getting a haircut or a new shirt or anything.

Totally fine with me, and maybe it’s for the best. I just can’t tell if it’s my two kids who are like this, or is it everyone?

Id guess it’s in part because kids now can get pretty much anything they want in 12 hours from Amazon? Going back to school isn’t a big deal when they play Fortnite with their friends all summer?

School isn't fun anymore. My kid is pretty amenable and goes with the flow. But, there is ZERO excitement for school. It's a "check the box" existence and they are herded around like cattle all day. No flexibility. They get 20 min. this year to wolf down lunch. It's miserable. I can't say as I blame her.

How was school fun before in a way that doesn’t exist now? I went to Catholic school so I didn’t have the traditional middle/high school experience my kids are having. My high schooler actually really loves school; my middle schooler hates it. She says the teachers yell all the time, the kids are annoying and the work is boring (although 8th seems to be much better than 7th grade was!). I’m wondering how schools made it more enjoyable before?

I was in Catholic school too and am the person you are responding to. There wasn't the pressure now. There was not a "check the box" approach to school. And there were lots of fun events in school that weren't heavily scripted and monitored like they are now. I could eat lunch outside (a minor example). We celebrated holidays (easier for a parochial school but my friends at public school did too). Schools seems like a prison with wardens vs. a place of learning.

And then there are the kids: vaping, swearing, making out, being mean. I'm not in any way saying that that stuff did not happen "back in the day" but there was more accountability for the few vs. making everyone else be on lockdown with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you get excited to go back to work after vacation? I know I don't.

This. Not even if I'm taking a shiny new pen souvenir with me

Bad comparison. School is where your friends are. It’s where you get to socialize. Middle school not so much, depends on the kid, but high school can be quite fun.

That's true, but over the summer, they can socialize with the same friends without exams and academic work hanging over your head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My two kids, 13 and 11, start school tomorrow. They register absolutely zero excitement. Is this normal now?

I remember being all about my school supplies—organizing them, being jazzed about my sweet colored pencil set or whatever, planning out what I was going to wear. I talked to friends on the phone about who had which teachers, who got assigned to which lunch, etc. All that silly stuff. But it was always a fun time of year and on balance a good memory.

DCs have NONE of this. No interest in like, getting a haircut or a new shirt or anything.

Totally fine with me, and maybe it’s for the best. I just can’t tell if it’s my two kids who are like this, or is it everyone?

Id guess it’s in part because kids now can get pretty much anything they want in 12 hours from Amazon? Going back to school isn’t a big deal when they play Fortnite with their friends all summer?

My kids are exactly the same age as yours and very excited. They spent hours on their binder, and picked out clothes for the week. The older one spent 20 mins doing her pony tale. They go to a run of the mill public school.

My kids didn't do very many camps, did not see most of their friends in August (were visiting family out of state) so that probably has a lot to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two kids, 13 and 11, start school tomorrow. They register absolutely zero excitement. Is this normal now?

I remember being all about my school supplies—organizing them, being jazzed about my sweet colored pencil set or whatever, planning out what I was going to wear. I talked to friends on the phone about who had which teachers, who got assigned to which lunch, etc. All that silly stuff. But it was always a fun time of year and on balance a good memory.

DCs have NONE of this. No interest in like, getting a haircut or a new shirt or anything.

Totally fine with me, and maybe it’s for the best. I just can’t tell if it’s my two kids who are like this, or is it everyone?

Id guess it’s in part because kids now can get pretty much anything they want in 12 hours from Amazon? Going back to school isn’t a big deal when they play Fortnite with their friends all summer?

Are they in public? Mine are in private and over the moon excited about returning. I was the same way growing up - attended public and private and was always excited about everything regarding the first day of school.

LOL, yeah, that’s the salient detail here. Public v private.

As it happens we (OP) have one in private and one in public. I myself went to public ES and MS then one of the best privates in the country. Not relevant.

That giddiness about first day of school and seeing friends again and having fresh markers and a new pair of sneakers? that’s all from my lowly public school era.

Keep clinging to that fig leaf of superiority though. It’s doing wonders for you.

I actually think it may be semi-relevant, in that kids who go to public school typically live in the same neighborhood or near to many of their school friends. I went to private school growing up, and I seldom saw most of my friends over the summer, so I was really excited to see them when school started.
My kids, though, go to our local public. Most of their friends live near us, so they spent the summer going to the pool with friends, biking through the neighborhood with friends, etc. So they aren't excited to re-connect with school friends - in fact they'll see the same kids this week as they did last week, only it won't be doing the fun stuff they did all summer.
So... yeah... my public school kids are less excited to start school than I was as a private school kid, and I totally get that.

[Anonymous]

There was no apprehension or excitement about school. It was just another day. I don't understand either op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you get excited to go back to work after vacation? I know I don't.

Very well put PP!

[Anonymous]

Someone posted this elsewhere but it contributes to why kids don't like school: https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/08/28/teens-achievement-pressure-parents/