Not to have a back to school ritual?

I thought most people’s ’back to school’ ritual was trailing round the shops after school shoes?!

Sound like another pointless celebration to turn the wheel of consumerism

Balloon arch? Good God, only if you have staff to do it for you.

We set up some cute photos with her favourite teddies lined up to see her out of the gate on the first day of Reception, and we also have a blackboard with spaces to fill in details about "My first day in....." (the reverse has "My last day in....") so we'll fill that in for the first day of Y1 and do the obligatory picture on the doorstep. I will also get up early to do her hair a bit extra fancy with bows for her to lose before first break and come home looking like she was dragged through a hedge backwards.

I took a first day back at school photo of my 2 every year and they enjoy looking back at the fashions and hairstyles not they're grown up.

Back to school rituals belong in the same bin as first of December boxes, Christmas Eve boxes, baby showers, gender reveals and all the other shite thought up by Instagram influencers which they hope their sheep followers will copy and they'll earn from.

I used to love Dewberry, clearly you are a very sensible woman!

Special breakfast (and balloon arch) for me after I've dropped them off.

Maybe we need to start a movement to ignore all the extra crap associated with Christmas, Halloween, Easter etc etc.. These rubbish ideas only thrive because people are stupid enough to buy into them!
Do they get a new Christmas Eve box every years or are they deprived children who get the same one each year?

Photo at the front door and work from home to walk them to school when they were in primary school.
They would consider being escorted to school ritual humiliation now so I have exchanged that for making DD2 roll down her skirt and "taking the dog for a walk" at the same time as she goes so she doesn't get a chance to raise her hemline again until she's on the doorstep of school 😂
Otherwise, I might hand out £10 for school supplies in extremis.

No, we don't. I get DH to take a picture of DS in his uniform (I have already left for work).

It's quite nice having the photo, and he goes to senior school this year so that will be a good pic. To be honest though, my mum is always more fussed about the pics 😂

I'm lucky that my son does like school, so he doesn't 'dread' it. I'm a teacher, so also going back to school. So, it's a normal thing for us. It's always a bit sad that the holiday is over but we are very much a 'get on with it' type of family 😂

Back to school ritual? WTF is this now.
Photos, obviously. Anything else.. !?

Photo on the doorstep and a sigh of relief is our ritual!

Jesus I don’t need the stress of a back to school ritual in my life! It’s bad enough just getting things organised. I take a photo of them on the first day & might make a nicer than normal breakfast but that’s all.

Balloon arch 🤣

I’ve just over the years taken a picture in uniform of any meaningful transition 1 day nursery, 1 day primary school, 1 day secondary. Not shared on social media just immeadiate family grandparents. Too busy making sure everything ready school bag night before, shoes polished etc.

No ritual here. It’s just going back to school after the Summer. Happens every year. Nothing special

The closest I get to that is a shopping trip the day before and lunch out for school clothes (because I'm disorganised!)

Photo in the morning and off DS1 goes. I did refuse to buy a new bag foe the school year as his was completely fine and it seems like a waste of money when he still likes it!

No, and also this reminds me of the year 6 leavers circus we were embroiled in.
Uneccessary, wastful, ridiculous and personally I think this ridiculousness is detrimental in helping kids prepare for the real world. They will be expecting balloon arches, cards and special pancakes on their first day at a new job, and will be very disapointed with the reality of work. It should be exciting enough to be starting out in a new year, new things to learn and new books and shoes without a bloody balloon arch.
It is so self absorbed it makes me feel a bit ill, ' Let's do a photo shoot with a balloon arch for your special first day in year 4, my special child, here's your gold pencil case, be sure to tell your friends how amazing your parents are and how you are the light of their life because you are better than all them sweetie, you really are'.
Thats what it makes me think is going through the minds of people that do this over the top stuff😂

I can’t even remember to take first day back at school photos let alone anything else.

on big milestones first & last day at primary or high school we usually do McDonald’s or pizza after school but that’s about it.

we REALLY need that 😂reaction back!

You would not believe how often I use that quote with mine 😆

We used to go to the park after school in September as it was too nice to go straight home and it was great to have a tear about after learning all day.

I’ve seen shops near us have started advertising back to school/first day of school balloon stacks but they just seem pointless to me? My kids like a balloon as much as the next one but it’s just a waste of money in my opinion.

My eldest is starting school this year, the first couple days are half days and he’s not in until after lunch so I might do him pancakes or something for breakfast but other than that he’s having a chilled morning before he gets ready to go in. If he was in all day I don’t think we’d do anything at all other than a photo, there’s enough going on trying to get two kids ready and out the door on time without adding anything else to the morning.

I love the school photos up against the door of my DGC. We didn't even do this when my DC's were at school. Though the parents used to dance out of the school yard so a ritual of sorts.

Reading the rest, fs, no wonder so many kids are growing up with no resilience.

Oh come on, a balloon arch FFS I've heard it all now