Anonymous wrote:My kids are in college now. This is what we did for each of our children -
- a whole week of new cute outfits
- pictures
- pancakes the first week for breakfast

For our firstborn's first day of kindergarten, we followed the school bus to school in our car. LOL!! She was so excited!!

How did she know? Unless she was sitting in the very back and looking out the back door, she wouldn't have been able to see you. Most bus drivers (that I've known/heard of) require the youngest kids to sit up front.

I know this is "a thing" because I remember my kids' principal emailing parents before the first day asking the to please not do this. If every Kindergartner's parent did this there'd be a line of 15+ cars trailing every bus! I don't know the set up of your kid's school, but at ours the buses and car line enter through the same point-I can't image the chaos this would cause!

I’m having a nap after drop off.

Anonymous wrote:It is totally great if parents want to do this. But, This is also a perfect example of optional intensive parenting that leads to the burnout we hear on these boards all the time. I’m sure a million folks will chime in about how thinking about this/doing this takes up almost no time. But then you do a hundred things like this a year and it adds up.

Again, people should do whatever they want. Just food for thought.

+1

Also, everything doesn't have to have a ton of extra stuff to be "special." The first day of school is already special! My kid likes to make her own sign, we take a photo in front of the school, and we have her favorite meal for dinner. (Which, fortunately, is a really easy, quick dish!). I put a note in her lunch with a smiley face or something. And that seems like plenty to me! And you can get in a cycle where everything has to be "special," so you have to keep ratcheting it up to make the next thing, which is really a bigger deal, also feel special.

DH is German, so we always give DD a Schultüte. She loves it, and always refers back to pictures of her Oma getting hers.

Anonymous wrote:For the first day of school each year, we choose a nice hard bound copy of a classic children’s book, write an inscription, & give it to the child. We started this tradition when our oldest started K.

Mine are always overwhelmed before and after, even if they have good day. Other than a new outfit/sneakers/school supplies and taking photos, we keep the day low key with a tasty "favorite" dinner at home and no activities. (Side vent: I hate when after school activities occur on the first day of school and we always skip if they do.)

For the first day of school each year, we choose a nice hard bound copy of a classic children’s book, write an inscription, & give it to the child. We started this tradition when our oldest started K.

Pumpkin muffins with breakfast, a new-to-them outfit from Once Upon a Child, one picture, off to school! A note from me in their packed lunch. We keep it simple.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it have to be special? Unless you mean for parents.

You sound fun.

You sound lame

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got them a junky cereal that I normally don’t allow.

Why give your child junk food?

Because they hungry fool

We do a “yes day” the day before school starts. DC gets to pick everything we do and eat for the day (within some basic limits on spending and actual food intake). Then pancakes on the first morning.

It is totally great if parents want to do this. But, This is also a perfect example of optional intensive parenting that leads to the burnout we hear on these boards all the time. I’m sure a million folks will chime in about how thinking about this/doing this takes up almost no time. But then you do a hundred things like this a year and it adds up.

Again, people should do whatever they want. Just food for thought.

Kid picks favorite dinner. We've also done an ice-cream cake.

My kid likes routine. So we do a new outfit, same breakfast (eggs and a waffle). Pictures by front door. But then we have ice cream for snack after since i get them from the bus that day.

I make a special breakfast like French Toast or waffles and we get take out for dinner.