Parents Are Revealing What They Wish They Knew Before Sending Their Child To School For The First Time
Saving these for when I have kids and send them to school!
Parents of older school-aged kids know that sending them off to school for the first time can be nerve-wracking. That’s why we asked them to give pieces of advice to parents who are currently going through that milestone with their kids.
Here are some of the responses:
Note: Not all responses are from the BuzzFeed Community. Some are from this Reddit thread
1. “Stash $50 in small bills somewhere – ‘I need $2 today!’ happens A LOT.”
2. “Have your kids open their own snacks, drinks, etc. for lunch. There are lunch helpers, but usually only one or two. Work on non-screen time by reading books or talking to them as they sit on the carpet. Let them pick their backpack or clothes.”
3. “Save for college NOW! Even $10 a month, invested wisely, will be better than nothing. Skip your morning latte or lunch out and make it happen.”
4. “Put your kid’s name inside their backpack, not outside on it. You do not want strangers to know your kid’s name. The number of kids I saw on the first day of school with their name boldly on their backpack is wild.”
5. “My son is going into 3rd grade this upcoming school year. Take ALL the pictures, write down all the exciting things your little one talks about. Attend all the events you can. You don’t have to be in the PTA, a class parent, or send Pinterest-worthy treats for every class party, unless you have the means and want to do so. As for the anxiety of sending your little one to school, I pray over my son every morning, and write Psalm 91 on his shoes, backpack, and lunch box. If you’re not a praying parent, send them off with good vibes and remind them that they are safe and loved, and you’ll see them later. Encourage your child to be the kid who talks to the lonely kid. And most importantly: let them be a kid, don’t worry about extracurriculars and all that stuff. Just let them enjoy pre-k / kindergarten.”
6. “Trust the teachers! Make sure that your child knows that the teacher will take care of them and keep them safe. Your child will see your anxiety and be even more anxious. Also, if you have the means, pick up extra supplies for those who may not be able to cover the whole list.”
7. “They’ll be fine! Worrying all day won’t change anything, so try to roll with it. They may not eat their lunch, they may lose something. They will make new friends, become their own person, and walk out of school with the biggest smile. The stories they’ll tell you about what happened at school will make you laugh.”
8. “Please and thank you will get them pretty far in the first years. Sir and Ma’am in the south. Teaching kids to become good people and good citizens will go a long way towards getting them a full education. If you think your kiddo is struggling, ask a teacher. Chances are that he/she has seen hundreds more kids developing in that age group than you have.”
9. “Stay quiet and observe”
10. “Make it a fun thing and discuss it a lot before the day comes. And check your own emotions about letting them go. They will feel it. My twins couldn’t wait for me to leave the first day because they couldn’t wait to learn with other kids. And I matter-of-factly just slid out like it was day 100. Meanwhile, other kids are crying, and their Moms look helpless.”
11. “If you let your kid(s) know you are nervous/sad/uneasy, etc…, then they will be. If you show them excitement and talk about your own first day of school experiences, it helps. I told her all about my kindergarten teacher (who is literally one of the best teachers I had in elementary school) and my husband still talks to his old kindergarten teacher! So together, we were able to show her the positive impacts we had, and she got excited for her first day. She had a great teacher and made amazing friends. Also, save yourself some time and have them do school lunch! Stay connected with the school. Participate in school activities and go to a parent/teacher group meeting once in a while. This will help you learn what goes on behind the scenes, and you may even make a new friend or two!”
12. “Put air tags in their backpack and shoes!”
13. “Always double up on school supplies during the back-to-school sales. Only send your child with half, then you can replenish all supplies after winter break! Also, water bottles get lost ALL the time, don’t get an expensive one.”
14. “Parent, former preschool, and current elementary teacher here. Say a short, positive, loving goodbye and go! Prolonging departure, coddling them, and staring at them on the playground/through the classroom door window only makes them more anxious about going to school.”
15. “School is awesome! Not only does it help your child’s development, but when you come back home, you get to do everything in silence. I work from home, so when my kid doesn’t go to school, I can barely get any work done. I’ve had to sit in meetings holding my daughter. Send your kids to school, you deserve some time off!”
16. “Don’t buy the light up shoes for school.”
17. “Pack an extra pair of underwear in their backpack. If not, then a pair of pants and underwear. Most kids won’t have accidents, but sometimes things happen, and you never know when they need a spare change of clothes.”
18. And fianlly, “A lot of schools have social media, add yourself to them if you can. About a month before school starts, most places will start sending information out about the upcoming year. Make sure you go to any Kindergarten open house with your kids.”
Do you have any tips that you would add? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Responses have been edited for length/clarity.