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?

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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

Sound like another pointless celebration to turn the wheel of consumerism

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

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

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. 😆

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.

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.

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.

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

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

I love baby showers for my friends!

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

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

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?

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.

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 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.

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 😂

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.