clumsily raising my boys and baking cakes
This brilliant themed Gruffalo Themed Packed Lunch is such fun to make and will make all Gruffalo fans, big and small, smile with joy when they tuck into to enjoy their special food.
So with a sad wave goodbye to the summer holidays, today saw the start of the new school year for my boys today and with Jenson now starting year 1 and Burton year 3 (and entering juniors), it seems that school life is passing by too quickly.
Burton started back at school last Thursday (that week has flown past!) , but the new reception class had their first day yesterday. I did feel for some of the Mum’s as I saw them leaving the school building this morning, as it brought back all those emotions I felt last year when I had to send my big boy off to school.
So back to school is now fast approaching, and this week will be all about making the most of our last 3 days together, without the routine of the school day and school runs invading our little summer holiday bubble! It will also mean a busy time for me washing Burton’s new school uniform, digging out his school bag and PE kit (in fact this has reminded me that I will need a bag for his kit!) and making sure he completes the spellings that we have put off doing so far during the summer break.
Every year it always amazes me that before children have even finished school for the summer, all of the back to school products are on promiment display in the supermarkets and on the high street. I suppose that now I have a school aged child, had I been a bit more organised, I may well have bought some new school clothes ready for September, but that has not happened and so now I have to add it to my list of things to do over the next 6 weeks! *makes not to self to be more organised next year*.
The thing is with school ending, I don’t like to give it too much thought when we do not have to attend, and want to enjoy the break for exactly that, a break from what has now become our routine so not having to be out of the house by 8.40am each morning, no packed lunches to make each evening and generally a much more relaxed approach to the start of each day!
I find I am a much calmer Mummy during the school holidays because the pressure of sticking to a routine has been lifted, I do not have to keep asking the boys to get ready, there is less shouting and nagging on my part and I even get to drink 2 cups of tea before I leave the house! Some days we are able to sit around in our pajamas and it has even been known for the boys to just wear their onesies all day when it has been a wet one and we have stayed in doing ctrafts. That is the beauty of having no school to prepare for – we can just go with the flow and be more spontaneous.
So even though it is 6 weeks away for most of us (with the exception of Scotland where I think they have already had a fortnight off school), what do you hate the most about sending your kids back to school? I think I have given enough reasons why I prefer no daily school life routine, but what do other parents think?
“School uniform ironing and making interesting lunch boxes. Lunch boxes always end up as same old stuff”
Emma
“I hate the whole evening I have to put aside to sew/iron/stick/write name labels into everything. I always end up putting it off to last minute and promise myself next year I’ll do it sooner.”
Cat
“Uniform and shoe shopping as we always forget something or can’t find all the right sizes so it drags on and on when all we want to do is play in the sun.”
Penny
“Trying to get the kids back into a routine of early bedtimes and after-school activities again (Scouts, swimming lessons, etc) when they’ve enjoyed 7 weeks of relaxing and not having to stick to any sort of rigid timetable”
Donna
“Giving my babies back to someone else! I love living to our own timetable, breakfast in our pj’s and spontaneous trips to the beach in the evenings! And this year it will mean an empty nest!”
Mary
“Getting up for the school run! “
Helen
“Name tags! “
Cass
Thank you ladies, I have to say that I do agree with some of those comments, and I have been reminded me of things I had completely forgotten about too (like name tagging everything!).
As the first day of the school holiday begins today, I am making a list of things I need to do to make the transition back to school less stressful. I think the most important are buying Burton his new back to school essentials – you know his school unifiorm , PE kit, trainers, school bag and shoes. If I can cross those items off my list and be able to buy most of them all under one roof in a one stop shop , it will make my life so much easier. The new back to school range form George at ASDA offers just this service, clothing, footwear, stationary and other essential items which are affordable and offer good quality and value for money and with their 100 day no quibble sartisfaction guarantee, you are sure to find all you need.
AND it can all be bought in one place. When you have kids at home during the summer, being able to reduce how many shops we have to visit to do our back to school shopping, is a winner for me!! Nothing worse than dragging my two boys around the shops! So the sooner I get on with my one stop back to school shop the better, because then I can relax knowing that Burton will be ready to start his new school year prepared.
In the meantime, I am looking forward to lazier, more relaxed mornings with my 2 cups of tea, even if I have still been up at stupid o’ clock thanks to my early rising boys!!
What do YOU dread the most about the return to school ?
advertorial
So it appears that a lot of children have already returned to school according to my twitter feed, but for some it is next week and in the case of my eldest he starts school for the first time on the 16th September *cue tears from me*.
When I was asking other mums a few weeks ago where they would recommend I bought Burton’s scholl uniform items from, it was Marks and Spencers who came up trumps . Therefore, when I was contacted by their PR people asking me if I would like to receive some school uniform from them I couldnt believe my luck! I said yes, obviously.
