Not to have a back to school ritual?

[Finemjen]

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?

That ‘first day at new school’ photo has always been a ritual in our family……..but nothing more!
Balloon arches????????? Waste of money AND very bad for the environment! And a special breakfast? FFS, who thinks these things up, as if there wasn’t enough pressure on finances ! Give the children food they’ll eat rather than fancy stuff that only salves a parents conscience.

No,but this thread has just reminded me to book him into breakfast and after school club

I always book something nice to do on the last day of the summer holidays, afternoon tea out, a spa day at home together, a day out etc. Not so much as any sort of ritual but more because it gives them something to look forward to right up until the last day. Partly, it stops the back to school dread creeping in too early and also I found that otherwise we tended to spend the last few days just preparing to go back, naming uniform etc which meant you sort of mentally "lost" the benefit of the last few days if that makes sense.

If it's someone that happens organically and you want to do it then great*

But doing it because other people do is just the endless marketing of every non event ever eg Easter snd Christmas boxes. It's just a way to get you to buy landfill

*except the balloon arch, that is simply insane for going back to school

I've got better things to do with my time.

Although like many PPs, I have taken the day off before to spend in a quiet house!

Our ritual is that we take the day off work - have a nice relaxing day together after a busy summer juggling childcare etc. Weather permitting we usually go for a long walk.

We have a special breakfast. Pancakes usually. With berries, squirty cream and chocolate spread available, all the best options…
My mother did this for me when I was a child - along with a birthday/ celebration cake after tea!!! I think I was about 6 or 7 when we got dial up, so certainly wasn’t for the gram. I don’t even use social media unless you count mumsnet! Certainly not a new idea, or something people just do for the gram!!

Balloons at all I’d consider excessive and probably just for social media.

I think it depends on what the gift is? Does a new backpack, shoes and uniform count? I personally don’t wrap these up and my kids know which one they’re having before first day but I wouldn’t think it was super weird to do it, I’d think that family just love celebrating/ a bit of mystery and excitement…. In primary school, my mum used to surprise me with a pencil case on first day, always very cute and had lots of brand new pencils and a sharpener with a container to hold onto sharpenings instead of having to go to a bin each time - how exciting! Used to love finding out what I got each year, always had something extra special in - different each year, sparkly writing pencils, cute rubbers or a massive 36 pack of pencils… It was never wrapped, and not compulsory, so felt like a real gift to me. I was one of the lucky few that had my own pencils. I fondly remember it. At secondary I just picked my own and no surprises then!

My DC also get a pencil case in primary, it seems most do now even though not compulsory. They already know what’s in it as they put it all in. But no harm if you want to do it as a surprise, count it as a gift, even wrap it up? I think it depends on what the gift is whether it’s unusual/ excessive

A balloon arch? Are you fucking kidding me?

Jesus. I really feel sorry for children today. No wonder they have no resilience, a complete inability to cope with anything mundane or remotely challenging, and the attention span of a gnat.

Going back to school is not a celebration or an achievement. It doesn't need 'marking'.

I don't have any ritual other that I live in self pitty for a week, (this week is the one) not looking forward for the school runs, the rush, the many apps they use and you have to keep always checking, the shorten of the days and the fact that summer is ending.
Let's say that my ritual is being miserable for about 14 days until the routine takes on.

I don't have any ritual other that I live in self pitty for a week, (this week is the one) not looking forward for the school runs, the rush, the many apps they use and you have to keep always checking, the shorten of the days and the fact that summer is ending.
Let's say that my ritual is being miserable for about 14 days until the routine takes on.

Most of us are just struggling to get the kids to school on time, asking them to brush their teeth ten times. Who has time for balloon arches and fake happy memories? The school run is a total ball ache.

My DC are all grown and still look back fondly on their "first day of school pancakes"

We didn't really have them any other time so they were much coveted. I made the fatter american ones and my party trick was to do them in the DC initials.
Flipping the letter H is not for the faint hearted

Served with bacon, strawberries, syrup etc. DS told me that it helped with his "night before" anxiety to think of the lovely pancakes.

Luckily they were little pre social media influencers and it was just a nice thing.
Of course the obligatory first day of school photos out front too!

where does this balloon arch go, over the front door? is there a smoke machine as well?

Neighbours must be expecting the kids to come out dressed up as Cher.

A balloon arch for first day back!!!
😆 🤣 😂

Ours was more like, ' will you just get a flipping move on!! You're going to be late at this pace!!! To be repeated every day until end of secondary.

A ritual? Sounds like it would be the same people who buy their kids Xmas eve boxes!

Why does it always involve money? These 'boo baskets' grind my gears, full of absolute tat usually. The whole point of Halloween is that other people are paying to fill your kid with sugar 😆

Balloon arch is probably for Instagram "look at me" pics. I think getting out the door on time with clean kids in new uniform is a great achievement so take a pic on your phone, job done. Then if at all possible relax for half hour and have a coffee. My dd never got a balloon arch or anything insta worthy because quite frankly I'm a single Mum and couldn't afford such unnecessary shite

This way madness lies.

No wonder there is a generation of children who don’t know the arse end of which way and are full of anxiety about the world. Parents trying to shield the little darlings from the mundane realities of life with balloon arches and dumb shit. It doesn’t do them any favours in the long run.

The only back to school ‘ritual’ kids need is a new pair of school shoes, an early night and parents saying good old chivvying things like ‘it’ll be good to see your friends again’ and ‘just try your best’.

Like with a million other traditions - there's no right or wrong. I make pancakes on the first day of school - just a bit of fun to start the day. I make pancakes a lot so it doesn't take up much time and is a nice focus to sit down together to have breakfast on their first day of a new adventure (I organise to go to work a bit late that day).

There's absolutely no reason to do this and no reason to feel like you need to add anything into your life if everyone is happy without it! My daughter is autistic and really, really committed to a routine so since I made pancakes on her first day of P1 I therefore will be making pancakes on her first day of school for the rest of her school life. As it's no trouble to me, I have continued.

We have a sort of day before ritual. As much activity such as a day/half day out or park, swimming and soft play to make them tired so they sleep the night before. Worked brilliantly with my teens when they were little. DS will still be bouncing off the walls at 11pm.

New shoes, uniform. New bags, lunchbox, water bottle if needed, definitely not every year. New stationary for the ones in secondary school. Photo on the first day. That’s it!

Oh and haircuts! I feel like this is all normal.

No, just a photo by the front door. Or, if they refuse to stand, just a photo of the front door.

I was too, when I woke up on the first day of the Autumn term my temptation was to throw the alarm clock through the window, but I was a teacher, does that count???
We used to love having people say to us when we were out 'Oh I bet you can't wait for the end of the holidays' if they were being a bit of a pest and we would say 'No, we look forward to the Summer holidays, we enjoy our children's company!', it puzzled a lot of people.

Oh dear Lord no. They put on their uniform - we don't even buy all new just but it as we need throughout the year. They have normal breakfast. We take a photo by the door (door handle for height reference) and probably one outside by the tree. They go to school. They have a kiss and a good luck.

This year it won't even be that last bit. My husband will walk youngest to the corner and friend will take them in for me. I'll be in hospital with eldest. We'll do a photo of youngest by the door and save tree photo for once eldest is back at school.

I feel shit not being there their first day as it is, i won't feel guilty about a sodding balloon arch!