My son is starting 2nd grade and my daughter is starting kindergarten this year. Usually, we would be talking to them about transitioning from our summer days at home to the classroom. We might go backpack shopping or get new lunch boxes. This year is different. I have been thinking about ways to help them transition from summer life at home to school life at home.
When the school year starts, my children will be stationed at the table with their school device and the school supply boxes I’ve put together for them. My goal is to have this transition feel fun and exciting even if I’m internally anxious about my ability to help both of them while also getting my own work done. My husband is a teacher. He will either be tucked away in his home office or in his classroom teaching high school students. So, like so many of you moms, I will be doing my best to help my children as needed while also trying to get my own work done. I’m extremely grateful that I am able to work from home this semester.
I want the start of this academic year to feel exciting for our little ones, so I’ve put together some fun back-to-school gift boxes. I spent about $15 per child for everything included and they should have everything they’ll need to be off to a good start.
I wanted to use something functional as the container and found plastic dishpans for $2 that are the perfect size to hold all their supplies and keep everything in one place. I found notebooks in their favorite colors for under $1 each and stocked them up with new Crayola products – always exciting no matter how old you are!
The day before school starts, I’ll present them with their new school supply boxes. And the next day, I’m hoping those boxes will help them feel excited to be “in” school (at the dining room table). It won’t be the same as going to our awesome public school but the pandemic won’t last forever.
Parenting during a pandemic has shaken up a lot. Many parents who lamented it in the past have now embraced screen time. Working from home is more common. And almost nothing about the start of another schoolyear feels normal or predictable. But I am confident that we will get through this.
Children are resilient and so are moms. We will all find ways to make this work, whether that means adjusting to new decontamination routines after in-person school or whether it means trying to keep our children from taking their entire class on a virtual tour of our messy homes.
To everyone caring for school-aged children during this pandemic: May your WiFi and your coffee be strong.
