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Original poster

Not to have a back to school ritual?

233 replies

Finemjen · 26/08/2025 03:48

Does anyone else not do anything special to mark the first day back to school? Or do you have an end of summer/back to school ritual? Recently learned some give their kids a special breakfast, balloon arch, gift etc. I like to take a photo before kids head off on first day but should I be making it more of an event so they don’t feel left out?

OP posts:
ACynicalDad · 26/08/2025 08:31

New shoes and a photo by the front door. In the pub by 9.05

Icecreambythesea · 26/08/2025 08:31

We don't do anything, just the usual first day photo while they still look smart!

Beenquee · 26/08/2025 08:30

That all sounds very performative, and for the parent not the child. Bag packed, uniform checked, early night, good breakfast, no rushing or stress is far better - get them into school ready and on time. Quick photo!
Best thing you can do is read with your child - if the balloon arch (!?)parents spent ten mins doing that every day instead of posting content ..

LoobieLooLoo · 26/08/2025 08:30

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 26/08/2025 08:28

Ballon Arch when they exit the house and Champagne Reception when they come home.

Oh, and a medal.

This 🤣

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 08:29

I would say “we hang the flags out”, but might give that a miss at the moment.

IReallyDontKnowClouds · 26/08/2025 08:29

We have pizza movie night on the first day so the kids have something to look forward to. They are usually really excited about it!

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 26/08/2025 08:28

Ballon Arch when they exit the house and Champagne Reception when they come home.

Oh, and a medal.

HotTiredDog · 26/08/2025 08:28

Oh how silly.

NetZeroZealot · 26/08/2025 08:27

elliejjtiny · 26/08/2025 04:00

We don't do anything. I just take a photo of them stood by the front door.

This. And only if they are starting a new school.

Momstermash94 · 26/08/2025 08:25

I think a gift sounds excessive, when I was a kid we only got gifts on birthdays and Christmas, with a chocolate egg at easter. Now kids seem to also get gifts for valentines day, Easter hampers, Halloween boo baskets, Christmas eve hampers and now gifts the first and last day of school. Where does it end it puts so much pressure on parents. No judgement to those who do it but I definitely wouldn't feel like you have to so that your kid isn't left out, and surely these performative school rituals are in the minority and only something influencers do?

A balloon arch sounds even more bizarre. I used to have such bad anxiety about returning to school and I found it hard not to really dread the day I was due to go back. I think the idea of it being made a party that I had to be excited about would have been awful. My mom used to just do the photo of us by the door before we headed off out and I used to hate us having to stand there being made to smile for a photo in the uniforms we didn't want to be in 😂 god I don't miss the days of school!

IDreamOfElectricSheep · 26/08/2025 08:19

My back to school ritual for my teens is yelling at them the night before to go to bed as they need to get up for school the next morning. And have they got their bags and uniform ready?
And then more yelling in the morning as they cant get up.

ronaldrain · 26/08/2025 08:19

I'm not on insta and hate social media and cannot abide fake influencer types and their boring showy antics.

We've always marked the first day back to school in September. With a slightly nicer breakfast and a few back to school bits. It's just to celebrate a new beginning of sorts.

Ballon arches is ridiculous, what's wrong with people. It's not a birthday. I hate balloon arches anyways, they're everywhere because of social media.

Cyclingmummy1 · 26/08/2025 08:18

No, but I know people who do. They also buy starting exams gifts, ending exams gifts, passing exams gifts, massive balloons for every birthday, etc, etc.

AngelinaFibres · 26/08/2025 08:17

BCBird · 26/08/2025 05:41

Balloon arch? Wtaf. The ritual for me was Sunday night bath bag packed, shoes cleaned, uniform hung up? hair plaited and bed early. Did not really have to get back into going to bed at a reasonable time as we weren't allowed to stop up mega late anyway. Am mid 60s. Times have changed i suppose- not necessarily for the better.

I'm 60. Same thing here. Polishing our shoes in the kitchen on a Sunday night is a very happy memory for me.

Lennonjingles · 26/08/2025 08:16

I never did anything with mine, both my DS hated school at first so the less we talked about it the better. I did take photos in their new uniforms at each school, so pretty much each year, but nothing else special.

NewTheBat68 · 26/08/2025 08:15

No, but we do mark the end of the summer holidays! This year we planned a big day out doing various things, then went for pizza, it’s always a nice way to say ‘ok back to routine now!’

Parksinyork · 26/08/2025 08:15

I get myself up earlier to make sure I’m calm and organised to help the morning so smoothly.

janehopper · 26/08/2025 08:15

My eldest can't wait to go back to school, she'll be running out of the door.

Poundoffhoney · 26/08/2025 08:14

GnomeDePlume · 26/08/2025 07:56

Back to school Elf On The Shelf? While I would have had fun with it I'm not sure my DCs would.....

  • Elf has got the wrong socks on so he's in detention
  • Elf forgot his PE kit so he's in his pants
  • Elf having his head flushed down the toilet

Maybe not.

Love this though - maybe should be a thing 🤣

janehopper · 26/08/2025 08:14

Balloon arch 😂 wtaf

onlymethen · 26/08/2025 08:13

Anything for us to spend more money on tat that’s not good for the planet. Nice day out on last day of holidays then off they go, some times remembered to take the photo.

Poundoffhoney · 26/08/2025 08:10

I made a card for my daughter every year - nothing amazing just something personal to her. We also got a photo every year. Son has no interest in a card but we make him do the photo 🤣 (Oh and my daughter is now 23 so not for social media as the first one was 19 years ago!)

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 08:09

Bodyshopdewberry · 26/08/2025 08:06

There's a lot of talk about self care for women placing all the burden on them to go and do their nails and 'pamper' away as if that is supposed to be relaxing .

My self care is not doing all this type of shite. Balloon arches, elves, fucking Christmas hot chocolate stations. Bugger off!

Don’t forget the Christmas Eve box, whatever that is.

Bodyshopdewberry · 26/08/2025 08:06

There's a lot of talk about self care for women placing all the burden on them to go and do their nails and 'pamper' away as if that is supposed to be relaxing .

My self care is not doing all this type of shite. Balloon arches, elves, fucking Christmas hot chocolate stations. Bugger off!

MuffinsAreJustCakesAtBreakfast · 26/08/2025 08:01

special breakfast, balloon arch and gifts?

I suppose we have instagram and TikTok to thank for this.

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