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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:
gingercat02 · 26/08/2025 09:43

Photo when he was little. We always go out for dinner the night before as a last holiday treat. Nothing else!

plominoagain · 26/08/2025 09:43

My ritual would consist of waking up late , thinking “Bollocks” and hustling everyone into their fortunately pre prepped stuff , flinging them in the car, and scraping through the door just before the bell .

Might as well start as we’re likely to carry on .

Caroparo52 · 26/08/2025 09:44

Surely new shoes, uniform,pencil case, lunchbox etc and a photo on the morning is enough? Good enough in my day

Mischance · 26/08/2025 09:45

TappyGilmore · 26/08/2025 05:10

We certainly don’t. Sounds like something that had just been invented for social media content. I might try to take a normal photo if I remember but usually DD won’t cooperate anyway.

Indeed - bloody social media content. Why can't people just get on with their lives without assuming that all the world and his brother wants to see their edited highlights?

OldChinaJug · 26/08/2025 09:47

I don't think you need to worry about it, OP.

I'm a 50something mother of two adult children and I've been a primary school teacher for decades.

Your thread is the first I've heard of this.

New uniform, photo on the doorstep. That's it.

Balloon arches? Seriously, no. No one is doing that.

Playdought · 26/08/2025 09:50

For goodness sake. Christmas has been over done by Christmas Eve boxes, Expensive Advents, Halloween by Halloween boxes and insane decorating……

So we are now going to do the same with Back to School. Does no one realise that walnut made celebrations like Christmas , Halloween and Birthdays so special was that they were rare.

There is a great line in a Patrick Kavanagh poem ‘From a chink too wide comes in no wonder’ We would do well to remember that.

DeborahKerr · 26/08/2025 09:51

gosh no, a photo - who is not appreciated AT ALL once they start secondary and off they go.

Of course it's a thing, but poor kids. First it makes it all about their parents, not them.

Also, it removes the wow effect of special morning for a genuinely special day, and it becomes boring.
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.

DeborahKerr · 26/08/2025 09:51

Playdought · 26/08/2025 09:50

For goodness sake. Christmas has been over done by Christmas Eve boxes, Expensive Advents, Halloween by Halloween boxes and insane decorating……

So we are now going to do the same with Back to School. Does no one realise that walnut made celebrations like Christmas , Halloween and Birthdays so special was that they were rare.

There is a great line in a Patrick Kavanagh poem ‘From a chink too wide comes in no wonder’ We would do well to remember that.

you beat me to it by a minute 😂

unconditionalpurelove · 26/08/2025 09:51

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

BessieSurtees · 26/08/2025 09:53

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.

AsburyPark · 26/08/2025 10:00

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.

Vitriolinsanity · 26/08/2025 10:04

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.

Playdought · 26/08/2025 10:07

DeborahKerr · 26/08/2025 09:51

you beat me to it by a minute 😂

Show quote history

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

DeborahKerr · 26/08/2025 10:10

Playdought · 26/08/2025 10:07

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

Show quote history

we REALLY need that 😂reaction back!

AliceMcK · 26/08/2025 10:10

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.

Pastaandoranges · 26/08/2025 10:11

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😂

Scottishskifun · 26/08/2025 10:12

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!

sugarapplelane · 26/08/2025 10:15

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

Lovingbooks · 26/08/2025 10:15

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.

CountryQueen · 26/08/2025 10:17

Balloon arch 🤣

Ultravox · 26/08/2025 10:22

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.

Thedoorisalwaysopen · 26/08/2025 10:23

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

Noshowlomo · 26/08/2025 10:24

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

PumpkinPie2016 · 26/08/2025 10:24

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 😂

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 26/08/2025 10:25

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.