The first day of school is a momentous occasion. First day of school memories are the BEST!
The VERY first day of school – the first time you drop off your precious little son or daughter with his preschool or her kindergarten teacher can be both a thrilling time (it is a milestone after all) and a nerve-wracking episode of concern (Will she be ok? Will the other kids be nice to her? Is his teacher going to know what he needs?).
Or…it could be a time of celebration. Woo hoo!!! I am ALONE for HOURS! (Hey – nobody’s judging you for the party you’re throwing right now.)
Whatever the case, you’ll want to remember the very first day of school, and all of the subsequent firsts, and you might find some of these suggestions helpful:
One! Snap a Photo or Two of Your Child
Give yourself a little extra time in the morning on the first day of school to snap a photo or two of your child. Take a couple of photos with the backpack – during the younger years, this can be a valuable reminder of what interests your child held. If you can, take your pictures in the same spot every first day of school (next to the tree in the front yard, on the sidewalk outside your house) so that with each year’s passing you can see how she grew.
Two! Interview Your Child
First day of school memories give you a great opportunity to take stock. Ask your children questions to help you know what they will want to remember about each trip back to school. Your memories are not necessarily their memories – see what sticks out for them.
I created a “back to school questionnaire” to help me do just that with my children, and I was amazed at some of their answers. Now that we have reached the senior year with our daughter, I have thoroughly enjoyed going back through the years and reading over her “first day of school” questions, and remembering that insight into her school days. These are precious memories, captured in her handwriting. Absolutely priceless.
Three! Create a 1st-Day-After-School Memory
Do something fun after school on the first day and jot down the specifics of it. Do you have a special tradition? Cookies and milk when the bus gets home? Last year, my girls and I hit the Starbucks after the first day of school and I had them write down their Starbucks order (a concoction my junior referred to as a “chocolate chip cookie dough Frappuccino“). We had so much fun that afternoon, and that story and those memories will last a lifetime.
Those first days of school are big, important days. Parents of seniors – this marks the beginning of a really important year. I heard a principal a couple of years ago say, “You have 180 school days left to make an impression on your senior. Make it a good one.” I’ll say this. You have 180 more days of memories before your child graduates. Capture those memories. Make them good ones. Tell that story.
Want some help capturing your memories? Stop over by my Contact page and give me a wave. I’d love to tell your story.
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