Not to have a back to school ritual?

Yes, we have a ritual of a heated row that I told them to try on shoes/rugby boots clothes, check if there’s a new mouthguard, is their lap top charged up etc…and somehow its my fault that they haven’t done it. Teenagers not toddlers.
They’d think I’d lost my mind if there was a ballon arch!

It is so self absorbed it makes me feel a bit ill ... that made me smile!!

New pyjamas and fluffy socks, a bath bomb, a small teddy, a new mug with a hot chocolate sachet and a book usually. Sometimes a small game or activity.

I get the whole Christmas pjs thing, I do the same but how many new mugs does a child need. If I did that I’d have 16 additional mugs to store over the years. I’m happy make hot chocolate - do they need an individual sachet though, mine don’t need any more cuddly toys - it’s all a consumerist nonsense and an ecological disaster.

They what?!

We had no back to school ritual, no easter baskets or christmas eve boxes, or valentine gifts etc. 3 well adjusted adults (almost, youngest 18 in March)

Umm.. back to school photo and then remember I have two September birthdays to organise??

The balloon arch thing needs to fuck off ... what the actual???

One child is off to college so trying to organise transport etc and the other hates school so trying to keep it low key .. not even getting new shoes, that can wait till a few weeks in.

Never did any such thing, not even on first day of school at 5. We all just went back to school - both parents teachers, a bit sad, really. If you make every small change a rite of passage then the real rites of passage get minimalized, which is sad.
Just pack a nice packed lunch - if you are into them. Mine had this choice: school dinners or you pack your own lunches. They chose school dinners.

It’s fine to do them but gifting the night before such a huge day of presents and treats is ostentatious and consumerism at its worst.

I get the whole - new pjs and a take away but why a further round of gifts.

What are we teaching our children

A back to school ritual sounds like bollocks to me and I never had one.

I packed them off in time, came home and enjoyed a peaceful cup of tea. That was about it as far as rituals went. My three are all healthy adults aged between 30 and 23 now so clearly didn't suffer from my lack of a performance there.

you know, I believe they do the firework and limo for "proms" (which start in Primary nowadays)

No wonder weddings - which are supposed to be special - cost more than a luxury sports car when people have to top that up 😂

I also wonder how it translates to daily life? Do we mark someone sending their first business email with a ticker tape parade? No wonder some people in the workplace deserve some kind of recognition for doing the job they’re paid to do if them walking through the school gates is celebrated like they’ve won a marathon.

Also has anyone ever tried to make a balloon arch? I once tried for 1 of my kid's bdays, it turned into a balloon tower very quickly 🤣.

I have a few! Not for a first day, but because it's super cheap to make yourself and it an easy way to decorate. Did you use the special tape thing - the garland strip ? You can't mess up the shape when you just fill it

I feel bad now because I was like "yes I do"

But turns out you meant for the kids 😂

I have a ritual on the first day back at school, but it's for me, not them.

Breakfast at a lovely cafe on the way home from drop off. A hot bubble bath that is uninterrupted. Lunch while reading a book. Uninterrupted.

Even if the house is in chaos and there are far more productive things I could be doing, that is my time after a busy busy summer.

You have a balloon arch and all the trimmings for birthdays, for last day of school, last day of stage, for the Elf, for Easter, for Valentine... it becomes completely meaningless.

And then what do you do for a truly special day? If the ordinariness of going to school merits balloons and fancy breakfast etc how do you mark out milestone birthdays, or achievements? Fireworks and a limo?

You can , usually, tell whose kid has working parents and/or siblings
and which one is a PFB

One will be hugged, dropped and waved off by 1 parent and will get on with it,

the other will have an audience and be stressed out by the performance making the whole thing a lot worst than it should be

I've never heard of this. I take a photo of the first day of each year and that's it.

So far, I've took a photo outside the front door, every year. He's 14, and there is a strong possibility that he may refuse this year. We stick to normality otherwise. Best in our house not to make a big deal out of things - just breeds rebellion 😬

I love baby showers for my friends!

7 days to go until the taxi arrives and takes them to school. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Mine is checking that he still fits in his school clothes and shoes (he does so nothing else needed).

I do have a back to school ritual. I take first day photos (no special breakfast or balloon arch), get them out the door to school, and having booked the day off work, I make myself a nice coffee and spend the day watching tv that I’ve not had peace for in 7 weeks.

Every single thing doesn’t need celebrated and marked, performative ridiculous nonsense.

We take a photo once they are ready, I thought even that was probably a bit much. My parents never took a single photo of 1st day back, even my very first day at school, I guess it wasn't a thing in the 80s. Also has anyone ever tried to make a balloon arch? I once tried for 1 of my kid's bdays, it turned into a balloon tower very quickly 🤣. Who on earth has time for this stuff when you are trying to get multiple kids ready and out the door, as well as yourselves off to work?

I have noticed that some people brought grandparents along to drop their child off for their 1st day, so 6+ adults to stand there and watch them walk into a building 😆. One of my children is starting school next week, we'll take a photo and then drop them off no fuss. I hate it when it's turned into a massive thing with a whole audience.

It's funny Christmas Eve boxes keep coming up. We always do one for each child. New pyjamas and fluffy socks, a bath bomb, a small teddy, a new mug with a hot chocolate sachet and a book usually. Sometimes a small game or activity. We were talking about Christmas yesterday and DD said the Christmas Eve box was her favourite thing about the run up to Christmas. Each to their own, but we've always enjoyed it and it sets everyone up for a relaxing Christmas Eve.

I've very kindly included my DH in the back to school ritual this year. He's off to the shops with teen DS to buy a new blazer. I'm all about spending the joy. 😆

Performative nonsense that can be safely left to the silly billies on Instagram etc.