Getting “back” into our homeschool routine is pretty much the same as saying, “After school, we’ll go to the pool!” It’s pretty much the same year ’round. However, there are certain times of the year that when it comes down to it, they still need that extra ‘umpf’ to get back into school at home.
Now that the school year has begun in most of the United States, parents are back to the daily battle of what not to wear to school each day. Only these episodes don’t feature a sarcastic Stacey or fashionable Clinton holding a gift card for an all-expenses paid shopping spree. No- these episodes feature crying children (or teenagers), a plea for the coolest new shoes, a search for a translator for the school’s dress code, and parents throwing money down the proverbial drain. And, every year parents all over the country wonder why their local schools don’t switch to uniforms thereby ending the argument as to why your ten year old can’t have those $150 pair of shoes everyone else has or getting a call that your daughter (yes, only your daughter) is out of dress code. So educators and politicians, we are here to tell you- we want uniforms!
Every parent’s hopes are high as the end of summer approaches and we all start to get our kids ready for school. We imagine them having the greatest year yet – making new friends, having a good teacher, and enjoying every minute of their day. But as the year starts, we realize quickly that school is not very fun for our children. From the moment they walk into kindergarten they are expected to sit down for extended periods of time, eat and go to the restroom at only prescribed times of the day, and have little to no active movement throughout their day. They are sent home with hours of homework, having little to no downtime between school, family responsibilities, and extracurricular activities. No matter if your child is 5 or 15, traditional school curriculums are not made for their bodies or their minds. It has been like this for decades, getting progressively worse as the years go on. But who is going to change that?
Hey girl hey! I’m Heather, resident Social Media Manager here at Daily Mom, and one of Daily Mom’s OG’s – I’ve oh-so-proudly been here since day 1! I’m also currently feeding my entrepreneurial spirit as a wellness coach, and doing other little side jobs here and there to help support our family. I have three children, so you can imagine, life is quite busy and chaotic around here (almost as chaotic as trying to get a photo with all three kids looking at the camera and not making a goofy face).
I feel like it was just yesterday that my son was still latched onto me breastfeeding and I researching on my phone looking into all the different schooling options he would have when he finally reached that age. In hindsight, this is comical because it seems like I blinked and then there we were last year sending him off on his very first day of preschool. And now, I have blinked again and here we are about to start his second year of school in a Junior Kindergarten program at a local private school.
I have spent much of the last year working on simplifying, minimizing, and organizing our lives and our home. About a year or so ago, I decided that I had had enough with all the extra stuff or “fluff” as I like to call it. I felt that we were consuming too much, purchasing too much, and holding onto things for no real reason. In an effort to find a bit more peace of mind for my family and to show my son what is truly important and worth valuing in this life, I have worked very hard to clear through the clutter and focus on the things we really need. Figuring out what we really need and what constitutes fluff for our family is an everyday learning process, and with back to school upon us it has given me a fantastic opportunity to re-evaluate what is REALLY essential for going into the new school year.
Raising children is a full time job. Raising children on top of holding down a part-time job (or jobs!) from home means life is often chaotic, stressful, extremely fast-paced, but all around rewarding. For some, holding down a side job while being a stay at home mom means bringing in extra income needed for day to day life. For others, it’s a form of holding onto one’s self – the part of yourself that holds onto childhood dreams, career aspirations, and passions outside the realm of child-rearing. It’s a part of how we stay whole, and albeit sometimes arguably, sane.
My little family was established, for the most part, in a suburbia outskirt of Denver, Colorado. About a year and a half ago, our family packed up and moved back to my hometown in rural Michigan to embrace and embark on a new lifestyle. I jokingly call our Michigan home a “farm,” however, that’d be kind of a stretch as of now. Our dream is to one day have a fairly self sufficient home, with little bits of modern technology thrown into the mix (like WiFi is an absolute must-have, as well as Netflix and a climate controlled atmosphere that is constantly 70 degrees indoors… well, I think you get my gist. I’m kind of a princess in those ways.)
Back to school shopping as a mom of all girls means we are in constant motion to find the cutest, the hippest, the brightest, and the sparkliest shoes, clothing, and gear stores have to offer. As a self-proclaimed “dress yourself to express yourself” mom, my girls often look like they spent some time in a Frozen-themed glitter factory. And most days, I don’t mind that. But this is the first year that everyone will be in some type of “school” (big kid school and preschool), and I feel like I need to step up my game in the back to school arena. Don’t get me wrong – they will still be rocking dinosaur dresses and cowgirl boots with a bright pink backpack – but at least they will have some of the coolest gear around.
As you begin your back to school shopping, think a bit outside the box this year when it comes to styling your children’s wardrobes. Outfit them in beautifully made, artfully designed, and globally inspired clothing that gives back and strives to incorporate worldwide connectivity and curiosity in the littlest citizens of our vast planet. With styles, prints, designs, and colors that radiate the beauty from one side of the ocean to the other, Tea Collection brings boys and girls a clothing collection that transcends the ordinary. We’re honored to dress our children in the designs from this timeless company this school year, and we hope to encourage you to do the same.
We can’t believe it either, but it’s time to start thinking about your child’s healthy lunchbox options – and not only healthy foods, but foods that can easily be put together in a minimal amount of time. Just in time for back to school, you can win a supply of Sweden’s favorite Felix Lingonberry Jam with a cool insulated lunch bag and spreader.
I’ve been mentally preparing myself for this day for years. My oldest child is finally old enough to go to kindergarten.
With so many schooling options in our area, choosing where to send my daughter to school hasn’t been simple. However, I’ve ultimately decided to send my daughter to a public charter school. With that decision, I’m heading into this school year with a much more organized and uniformed approach than I’ve used over the past five years. However, I think it’s safe to say that we are both super excited to see where this year will take us.
Back to school is looming, and you’re probably thinking of the mountains of tasks you need to do to prepare for the return of your little ones to school, including the new stuff you have to buy. We feel your pain! But if you’re already dreading the time and money you will spend acquiring things, imagine how much worse you will feel when they go missing and need to be replaced? Luckily, there is a solution. There is a fabulous range of name labels and other personalized products that are not only stylish and fun, but they will also survive being wet, dropped, scratched… anything your child cares to throw at it. Well, almost anything…
Schools, schools, and more schools. In this country, we are blessed to have so many schools to choose from, however the choices can be overwhelming. There are so many different types it is hard to know where your child will find his/her best fit. The first step is to understand your options, know what each type of school has to offer, and begin narrowing down the schools in your area from there. Luckily for you we’ve done the first part of the homework for you and compiled a list that explains the different types of schools across the nation.
When your child heads to elementary school, you have two choices when it comes to transportation: the big yellow school bus OR the family school bus, also known as YOU. We’re going to guess that you’ve decided to drive your child to school, but why do we discuss ways to master the carpool line now with only a few weeks until summer break?
Well, if you’re like many moms, your child is about to graduate preschool and will be going to kindergarten for the first time. While you may be an expert when it comes to stocking up on new clothes and fulfilling a school supply list, chances are that you have little to no practice when it comes to dropping off your kid at the curb. Furthermore, if your child attends a year-round school, you only have a few weeks off until the new year, and there are things you need to know before school starts. Which is why now is a perfect time to give you 10 brilliant ways to help you avoid dirty looks from other parents at your child’s school.
We recently introduced you to our top picks for just about every type of mom out there to rock her own style this school year at the drop off line. But we had so many awesome finds, we had to split it into two parts. In Part 2 of Dressing Up For Drop Off, we share styles for the Mom of Multiples, the Comfort First Mom, the Pregnant & Breastfeeding Super Mom, the Yoga Loving “Zen” Mom, and the Simply Accessorized Mom.
