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

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

Now that you know it’s important to them, you should do those things. Or if you can’t due to financial stress, do something else fun to mark the start of the year.

[Anonymous]

Awe. You should still do those things

[Anonymous]

Wow, I didn’t even think about this. Thanks, OP! Yes, I am going to get my first grader into his uniform and pose with his sign (First Day of First Grade) in front of the house.

[Anonymous]

If it matters to your kids, absolutely do it. I haven't really thought about it, but in the interest of keeping things normal, we will probably do our first day traditions, which includes taking a picture in a first day outfit (not necessarily new clothes, but something they picked out special), with their backpack and lunchbox (again, not necessarily new). I might pack them a lunch too, come to think of it.

We did a last day picture in their pajamas with their chromebooks, and they thought it was a riot.

[Anonymous]

Eventually there will be a first day of back to school so I'd wait but if she wants a new outfit, why not. We aren't. Mine don't care and would prefer computer stuff for DL like their Dad's set up. But, I buy ahead and we have everything we need usually.

[Anonymous]

I homeschool and we keep with all those traditions. Now more than ever, children need routine and a sense of normalcy. I do empathize with you and wish you the best with DL.

[Anonymous]

My kids don't care about any of those things, and aren't negative, thankfully. Definitely not doing the sign thing or buying an outfit for school when school is not even happening.

[Anonymous]

We did last day of school ice cream. We don't really have first day of school traditions but if we did, we'd do them in some form, probably modified.

[Anonymous]

No, I’m not. I will just buy clothes as needed.

[Anonymous]

We deliberately did some of our usual end of the year activities. Our child was sad to move on from a beloved teacher (there were tears after the last Zoom of the school year). So we'll probably do our usual start of school year traditions which are very low-key.

[Anonymous]

My kid hasn't cared about those sorts of things, but he's only been in 2 years of PreK. But he has expressed anxiety about having to work with new teachers for K, so I'm putting together a little box for him to open on the first day with some fun school supplies and a school themed outfit to hopefully make him more excited about starting the new year. But in your situation I would definitely try to follow the traditions they are worried about missing.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Sometimes our kids pick up on "traditions" we don't even realize we are establishing. My big example of this is Christmas morning 2018 when I made chocolate croissants not realizing we had had cinnamon rolls for years on Christmas morning, and my youngest was really sad to miss out on something she considered a tradition. So I switched back to cinnamon rolls in 2019 and in your case I'd for sure plan an outfit. Better that she told you now instead of later!

[Anonymous]

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

Then obviously this doesn't apply to you or your kids so you could have skipped the attitude - or better yet, the reply all together.

OP - we only do pictures on the first day and I hadn't thought of this at all but I think it would be nice for them so I'm going to keep it up. We haven't purchased school uniforms since we're distance learning but I might let them pick out a fun homeschool outfit from Target online.