Back to school traditions.

I have made cookies for my two on the first day of school since my daughter started kindergarten. She will begin her fourth year in college in a couple of weeks and I haven't yet missed a year. It is more special because I don't bake cookies very often. When my daughter and son were younger it was a great way to hear about their first day when the got home. Now that my oldest in in college it is a way to let her know that we are thinking of her.

I remember my mom making her homemade spagetti for dinner the night before school started. My favorite was leftover spagetti so she'd have a big bowl waiting for me when I got home from school. Unfortunately, she took her recipe to the grave and I haven't been able to replicate it yet! But, I will be starting a brand new tradition with my daughter for her Kindergarten year this year...I plan on sending a small new message in her lunchbox each day and anytime she can read the message back to me, I'll give her a small incentive prize.
Good Luck Ali and I wish a fantastic school year for Simon!

My mom would always make us a big breakfast and take our picture on the first day of school. I also enjoyed shopping with her for new school clothes and supplies - nice to spend that time together.

As a kid school time was the only time to get new clothes, shoes and maybe a lunch box. Other times of the year it was hand-me-downs, which are great and I now appreciate as a mom! But, we always did a fashion show to model our new clothes, still with the tags on and clothes looking a little big or long, but I felt so proud! So, my daughter will start kindergarten and I went a little overboard with the back-to-school clothes! We were on a family vacation two weeks ago with grandparents and bought some back-to-school clothes. The BEST part for me was my daughter's fashion show for daddy, auntie/uncle, and grandma/papa. She was so proud, asked for music and did the strut. The facial expressions were priceless. We loved watching her. This will definately become a tradition. I know all too soon she won't want to do it anymore.

I always take a picture in the same spot on the first and last day of school each year. It's so neat to see them change in just 9 months!
Also, I take a photo of them from behind, as they're walking on the sidewalk to their classroom - I love the shot of them from behind.
I also get a pic w/them and their teacher as well as their class list posted on the door or wall in the classroom (it's great to print it out and use on a page).
Non-picture stuff: favorite breakfast, a new box of 64 crayons for their desks in their rooms; new clothes & shoes.
Can't believe my baby is starting kindergarten too!!!

Our family tradition came from my grandmother. On the first day of school you have to eat a spoon full of sugar (I don't think I ever consented to that)- it will make your school year sweet and nice. :)

I did the one on one shopping trip with Mom, all the new supplies and the first day photos too. Once our kids headed off to college (which warranted far more tears because they moved away to school and didn't come home every night anymore!), I wrote them each a letter every year saying how proud we were of them, some of the exciting things they would experience and letting them know that they could still call us anytime for anything. I cried so many tears writing those letters!!! But I still loved doing them! Even though our kids are grownup and all working now, I still buy them a new piece of clothing to celebrate school starting again. This year, I bought new outfits for the granddaughters, who are 14 months and 9 months old - never too soon to start :))

We take first day of school photos - in the front of our house: front and back (with backpack on), then one of both kids together in front of the school's sign, then one of each kid in front of their classroom door which so far every year has had all students' names, room number and teacher's name. I also take a picture of each child in front of their door at open house which is about a month before the end of the school year.
I also try to get at least two photos of each child with their teacher. One early in the year (usually at a class party) and one towards the end (usually at open house). I don't take the first one on the first day of school because it is usually too chaotic and I like to wait until there is at least a small bit of comfort between my child and the teacher.
Not first day of school, but school-related, each child chooses two days a month when they want to buy lunch. They LOVE this! They love to choose the day, etc, etc.
Love the idea about taking photo of child in same clothes first day of school and after school year is over. I am going to try and remember to do this too.
We are in Calif and our classrooms share everything too! I was disappointed too when my oldest was going to Kinder that we couldn't go out and buy the usual school supplies! We just donate stuff all year - including copy paper to the office. Where does all the money go, but that is another discussion altogether!
Have a great first day & school year!

well i have to say i didnt expect to get emotional reading this. i have one going into 2nd grade so i have done the first day routine twice already but my middle dd starts kindergarten and i am a BIG fan of making family traditions.
so far the typical school shopping - but we spread it our over several weeks. we have one last drive-in movie night the saturday before. the night before we read our special books about going to school, set out clothes and paint & date hand prints. other than that pretty much whats already been written - except my dh & I write notes to the kids and put them in their pocket for my dd who isnt a proficient reader i have already made mine just a smile and a heart and xoxo. so if she gets nervous or sad or whatever those first few days she can pull out her little note and be connected to us even though we arent there. (I continue this in their lunch boxes the rest of the year). Then the younger kids & I make cookies so they are piping hot when we get home from picking them up. And of course there is a big dinner in honor of our "students".
Great idea - to share all these memories with each other, here!

I am a second grade teacher with a 1 yr old & 3 yr old at home. I try and make the first day as special as I can for the kids. About a week before school starts I send them a postcard inviting them to a first day of 2nd grade celebration. When they walk in the door there are goodie bags on their desks and a mini breakfast buffet. I tell the students and their parents to relax, roam the room and enjoy some yummy food. After about 15 minutes I call the kiddos to the carpet and read them The First Day of School Jitters & The Kissing Hand. I tell the kids to go give their parents a paper kiss to keep in their pockets and send them on their way. We usually do some neat get to know you activities and start their scrap book for the year. I also saw a great pencil shaped cake made from brownies that I think I will make for the kids. After having them write in their journals about their first day of school; I'll tell them "Write On, You survived your first day of 2nd grade" and let them enjoy some brownie cake. I hope they enjoy the first day of school as much as I do!

Hi Ali,
just read your letter about Simon starting Kindergarten, at the same time that scrapbookex would have been here in SA. I got a real lump in my throat and definitely know that's where you need to be. These FIRST's for mothers are the times we remember, it's truly a priviledge to BE there. Our special tradition is a part of the build-up of gathering the goodies, then when that's all done - on the night before, we pray together quietly; for friendships and wise choices and FUN in learning.
Carpe Diem!
PS, please could you post the 'Jimmy Carter Quote' about peace, again - it's so much where I'm at, these days.

I am a 5th grade teacher, so my perspective is a little different. When I get my class list, I write every kid a brief note and I send this, a class newsletter, a Harry Potter permission slip, and the "big kids" school supplies list. I also tell them some of the exciting things we will be doing this year, like field trips and science experiments. They get their letter the day before the class lists are posted in the cafeteria, so they have some insider knowledge before they come into the building to see where their family/friends are going to be. Parents always tell me how excited it makes their kids to get a personal letter in the mail from me. It starts our "school family" off right, before school even starts.

My kids got their supply lists the last day of school. We hung them on the fridge and marked off what we found over the summer. There was always an extra sack for each grade where they happily chose out a complete set of supplies to just go to the teacher the first day of school. We don't live in a totally impoverished neighborhood but there was always one kid who came without a sackful of supplies and then there would be one to hand out. My two were always cautioned NEVER to let on where those things came from....and they really got into picking out different-from-theirs stuff so no one would suspect. They loved to come home and tell how so-and-so really liked the pencils or backpack or whatever, they'd had received. We continued that tradition all the way thru high school.

We have two traditions - one older and one relatively-new.
First, I have taken a photo of my kids on our front porch every year on the first day of school. This is much different than a school picture. These give us a history of the places we've lived, the homes we've had, the fashions, the kids' heights relative to each other - so many things! It continued through college years - a fantastic timeline perfect for scrapbooking.
Number 2. Take your child - or borrow someone else's child - and purchase and fill-up a backpack with school supplies to donate to a less-fortunate child. This is a fantastic way to reinforce the principle of "giving back" as your child can easily understand how a child without school supplies can feel. Locally we have "Sleep Country Canada" running a "Backpacks for Kids" program for Gr 1-7 during August of every year, but there may be a similar program in your area. Kids really take ownership of this one - my 5-yr old friend, Jack, was very excited to buy the coolest backpack and fill it with supplies to donate to another kid "just like him..."

In addition to the traditional pictures, I have a back to school cake or one of those chocolate chip cookie cakes with "Happy First Day" or something like that on it. The kids expect is every year now.
This is an "end of year" idea that's been fun and the teacher's have really enjoyed. At some point during the year, I take an individual picture of each child in the classroom. Without the teacher knowing (when they are out or during art, music class, etc). I have the kids write something to their teacher about the year or maybe a poem or "ode" to their teacher. I make a simple 6x6 or 8x8 book with their picture on one page and what they wrote on the other.
The kids love keeping a "secret" and when I bring it in they love seeing it all put together and the teachers have loved the book.

we just started back to school here yesterday, and my daughter is only in first grade so we don't have many traditions yet. but i do take photos of her in her room on the first and last day. we all (dad, little sister and me) accompany her to her room on the first day. and little sister has gotten taken out for doughnuts the last two years. she loves that tradition (photos on blog). my favorite tradition was picking out a new lunch box every year. we're able to purchase a box of supplies from the school for my daughter, so picking out a lunch box and new backpack are a big deal for her.

Use the notebooks & have him use those new crayons and decorate a page w/ "1st Day of SCHOOL! 2007" now, snap a pix!

Ali, is that a place mat of the US in your previous post? If so where did you find it? I would love to get one for my son who is map crazy. Sue

There are some great ideas here! Definitely take a photo - I have in my kids albums a photo of us (me and all 3 kids) on the first day of school and the last day of school. Such fun photos!! I also always take a pic of each child by themselves. You'll probably enjoy making a collage-type thing with pics of the new sneakers, the backpack, the lunchbox, the supplies *U*. Enjoy!!

My DD started Kidergarten yesterday (I cried when the bus left)! We started a new tradition of getting an ice cream cone the evening before school starts.