Back-To-School brings up many emotions in kids. Some are filled with excitement about the new school year, the new friends they will make and the experiences they will have. Others are filled with anxiety; concerned about whether they will make any friends and worried about whether their new teacher will be kind or strict, or possibly both. And some are filled with sheer dread, with twisted knots to the pits of their stomachs. They don’t want the summer to end. They don’t want to have to adhere to routines and rules. They just want an endless, carefree summer.
In our home, we don’t talk about Back-To-School literally until the last minute.
We make sure to savor the last few days of summer. I don’t put out any Back-To-School merchandise in my Brick-and-Mortar stores until Mid-August. Unlike the Big-Box stores that put out Back-To-School merchandise right when the kids enjoy their first day of summer; I believe that kids deserve to enjoy their summer and not be reminded about school when they are supposed to be kicking back and having fun.
However, right around now, with Labor Day just around the corner, I am able to accept that the summer is almost over and school will start next week and I personally start to feel excited for my kids and the school community in general. My 19 year old daughter started her Freshman year at college last week and my 11 year old son starts 6th grade this week. These are big transitions for both my kids and I am filled with excitement about all the new experiences they shall have, the friends they shall make, the new skills they will gain and the knowledge they will learn.
I am so tickled by all the adventures that await them.
I know that not every experience they will encounter will be positive, but I also know that every experience, whether positive or negative, will certainly contribute to their growth and development. My only hope is that the positive experiences outweigh the negative ones.
Every year our kids start on their new school year journeys. They will encounter people, materials, and activities that will interact with them and like a magic potion, they will be transformed. The one thing we can do as parents and caregivers to make the transition to the new school year as smooth as possible, is to provide our kids with the supplies and materials they need to thrive and learn.
Here are some of our top picks for Back-To-School.
Gear:
Wildkin Backpacks & Lunch Boxes
Fidgets (To help calm the mind and focus, keep the hands busy)
NeeDoh Nice Cube
NeeDoh Gumdrop
NeeDoh Dream Drop
Stationery:
Ooly Color Together Colored Pencils
Ooly Very Berry Scented Gel Pens
