Apparently, there are two types of Mamas on the first day of school. There are the "First-First-day-of-School" Mamas, and then there are the seasoned "Just-Another-Year" Mamas.
I know this because when my oldest daughter first started school, I ran into a friend who's daughter was entering first grade, and her son was entering 7th. My daughter was just getting started in Kindergarten! As I grabbed my coffee off of the barista bar, she said "Oh my goodness, seeing you totally reminded me that I need to get Katie's registration done." I thought to myself—"GIRL! I had that paperwork turned in to the office the day it opened!" Thought number two was, "And then I followed up by calling, AND emailing the office to make sure they received it, that I didn't miss a call from then, and to make sure that I wasn't missing anything." Thought number three was "I may have harassed my child's dentist to send the forms back asap!" It all sounded so rational in my head. (HA!)
As I reflected on this with another Mama at our local park (who was also FREAKING OUT about first-day-of-school logistics) I realized something: My friend has done this for years, and I'll get there, too.
It's almost as nerve racking sending your kids to school for the first time as it is for your kids to be going to school on their first day, right?
Here's the thing. As a "newb" (as my daughter would call it) we're so afraid we're going to miss the train, or look bad, or forget something, that we begin to become a little overwhelmed and overthink something that will probably feel SO normal to us in the coming years.
Advice? Let's just go with the flow and let the school direct us on what to do and when. After all, registration is open until it's closed. And the school supply list? Doesn't come out yet, Mama, so—REFRAIN!
However, I've put together a list of things that I thought you'd definitely need! Here are our top 8 picks for the 2021 school year:
1.) Parkland Bayside Printed + Recycled Backpacks for Girls | Parkland Kingston Printed + Recycled Backpacks for Boys. Send your kids to school with a Parkland Backpack. A trendy and earth-friendly company with styles for most ages! Fun fact, it is made from 100% recycled polyester, and apple leather!
2.) Fulton Bag Co. Lunch Bo. A practical and reasonably priced lunch box that fits all of the goodies needed to keep the little one (or big one) healthy! Shop the Fulton Bag Co. at target to find versatile shapes, sizes, and designs!
3. & 4.) OOLY Writing Utensils. Get ready to see colorful excitement! This line of pencils, markers and more will have your child standing by to start their studies. No matter the age, these products are fun and useful for highlighting, coloring, color-coding, and creativity!
5. Watchitude Designs Disposable Masks. If you are a responsible mask owner who uses reusable masks and remembers to wash them—YOU get an A+! However, if you need to throw some disposables in your car, make sure they aren't the boring blue adult-sized masks that you end up tying knots in while shuffling your kid into the grocery store. Here are some reasonably priced—and cool—designer masks that are disposable and that your child might actually want to wear at school. For reusables, how cute are these Harper & Elliott masks at Target?
6. OLIKA Hand Sanitizer Clip-On Keychain. This small but mighty little bird can kill germs with up to 300+ mist sprays! It's so cute, and modern, comes in several colors, and is fitting for all ages. It's free from harsh chemicals and toxins, so you can be sure that your child is safe and sanitized at school!
7. The Cozi App. Mama, you're welcome. Introducing your mom brain all in once place! Now that school is starting back up, explore this amazing app that can bring your household to an all new tech level. You can keep appointments and activities all in one place, track school events and the virtual class schedule, manage a shared grocery list and even get the whole family to chip in on chores! Now, you've got more time to chat with other mamas in The Modern Mamas Club.
8. 3 Sprouts Bento Boxes. Fill, Dishwasher, Repeat. No need to buy or waste plastic bags when you can fill these adorable bento boxes with leftovers and healthy meals for your kids, that are made of PVC-free plastic and silicone, and are 100% leak resistant! You can even freeze them, which means you can buy a few and have them on hand to meal prep your kids for the week!
Now, the only thing you're missing is the "My Centered Day" tear pad, so you can manage the time you have while your kids are in school, so you can keep your life centered!
You've got this, Mama!
I know first-hand that working mom life is hard, but I also know it doesn’t have to be impossible.
Trust me. The best way to get unstuck isn’t to work harder. It’s to use a framework that gets real results, no matter what area you need to tackle first.