Trrrring! There goes the bell. First day of school!

30 August 2021

The eight weeks of (relative) peace are over. Our children are going back to school. Are you happy? Relieved? Sad? Maybe you are feeling these emotions all at once. What's on the agenda for the first day of school and how will your children cope with this new twist in their lives? This blog will help you through September 1. Seat belts on, kiddos! It's going to be a great ride.

The preparations

Have you got everything on the (holy) list? There are two kinds of parents: the early birds, who have already bought everything in July, and the late soldiers, who tick everything off the famous list a week before school. Both tactics are perfect, though! Of course, make sure you use the method that makes you feel good about yourself. Above all, avoid stress or unnecessary headaches. In the end, everything will be fine. And 31 August at 23:59 is also "on time".

What should definitely be ready?

Backbag
Mackintosh
Drinking bottle
Sandwich box
Boxes for snacks
Rain boots

Most schools also ask for gym shoes, a spare set of clothes, photos of the family, a bicycle, scooter or skateboard for the playground, possibly sports clothes, pencil case and so on. Don't worry about this in the first week. Your child will probably get a note and might enjoy looking for it together. This way you avoid getting black gym shorts when they should have been green with purple stripes. 😊

Eco tip: recycle what you can

Actually, sometimes we are a bit extreme when it comes to picking out school equipment. Sometimes children can still make do with last year's stuff. Or maybe your niece still has something lying around.

Find durable school supplies

Also keep an eye on Facebook's Marketplace or second-hand sites. You can hardly find used stuff there. There is nothing wrong with that. You make your little hero or heroine happy and you do your bit. After all, the climate is suffering because of our need to get everything new and in large quantities.

Equipment at home

We also recommend a few things at home to make the start of the school year run as smoothly as possible. An old-fashioned notice board is worth its weight in gold. You can put up the school schedule and post-its with crucial information, such as the school hours. "Does the school close at 3.35 pm or 3.40 pm? We juggle with so many to do's that we dare to forget something like school hours. Yes, we do.

Planning without any words

Do you have a toddler or a pre-schooler running around lost in your house in the morning? Reading the clock or making to-do lists is not very useful for them. But thanks to this handy poster with icons, they now know what to expect in the morning!

Reassuring your child

We may have forgotten, but the last week before the first day of school is nerve-wracking for a young pupil. Will the kids like my book bag, what clothes will I wear, will I have a nice teacher? Their hearts beat fiercely as they try to solve these questions.

What can you actually do to help your child for a first day of school?

Reading a book about school. Especially on the very first day of school. We happen to have a blog about that.
Inviting friends who will be in your child's class for the coming school year. Is that pancakes I smell?
Looking for an outfit that gives your child a lot of self-confidence, preferably from their own wardrobe.
Searching together for the perfect accessory: the most beautiful lath your child has ever seen, a lucky guess, sewing a new patch on the school bag... it can make all the difference.
Making a work of art of the ideal first day at school. Or making up a crazy story about all the things that couldn't possibly happen. You take away all the stress, just like when you write down your emotions in a diary.
Most schools have an introduction day at the end of August.
Ask your child what questions he or she has beforehand. Make a list of all the questions and go over them with the new teacher.
The evening of 31 August can be extremely exciting. Perhaps you can watch a family film together and ignore the fixed bedtime. If your child falls asleep on the couch while the feel-good movie is still playing, your angel will go to sleep with happy thoughts instead of dozing in bed until fatigue sets in.
Think about yourself, too. Try not to plan too much for 1 September. That day is also quite emotional for you and the run-up to it is exhausting. Take care of yourself. And believe us: you are not the only one ordering pizza or eating fries that evening 😉 😉 You are not the only one.

Good luck to all the kids and of course to all the parents!

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