Every mom loves summer because of lazy days and relaxed schedules.
Every mom is excited about school starting because keeping kids entertained during the summer is hard work.
Every mom wants to do something special to celebrate the new school year, but coming up with something creative sounds like a lot of work. And moms are worn out.
Never fear, moms! Macaroni KID has your back. We've come up with the Worn Out Mom's Guide to EASY First Day of School Celebrations (good for dads, too!). You can pull off these ideas with barely any prep, but your kids will definitely feel the love. They don't have to know that you took the easy route to celebrate their big day.
Have an EXTRA Special Year!
Grab a pack of Extra gum, and attach a handwritten note wishing your kids an EXTRA Special school year. (See what I did there?)
They all scream for ice cream! (No, really.)
Take your kiddos out for ice cream when you pick them up from school on the first day. They will be thrilled, and you don't have to worry about an after school snack... or dessert.
Gift the kids a new book.
Whether you read it together, or they get to check it out on their own, most kids dig into a new read. If you haven't checked out graphic novels yet, now is the time! Even reluctant readers will get into those!
A simple sign of your love.
I used to go all out and create amazing signs on my computer for the first of school. You know what I mean... "Have fun in 4th grade!" Now I make silly handwritten signs with dots and stars and as funky handwriting as I can manage. And you know what? My kids don't care one single bit which version they get. They just love that I still do it. (In fact, my oldest is a junior in college and I'll be popping his in the mail tomorrow. They may roll their eyes, but your effort is appreciated (however minimal it is!).
You mean I get to choose?
Give each of your kids a $5 bill and a note that says that they will find out what it's for after school. When you pick them up from school, hit the grocery store, the convenience store at the gas station, your local fast food joint, or even the closest vending machine. Here's the part that's going to make you an instant hero... let them pick out a fun snack! Anything they want, within reason, of course. You might find out something new about your kids in the process. Do they choose a one and done, or something that they can spread out over several days? Do they go for savory or sweet?
Who has the most?
Every kid is going to have a story from their first day of school. Give them time to share theirs, with a fun twist! Gather up the family, and start the questions. Who has the funniest story? Who has the shortest story? Who has the weirdest story? Who has the kindest story? Who has the best lunch story? You get the idea. You can even make it a weekly event!
Start it off with easy fun!
Kids love a fancy breakfast, but school mornings are hectic enough without adding cooking to the to do list. The solution? Easy fancy. Prepare each plate the night before so you can whip it out in two seconds flat on your busy morning. Muffins, fruit with a little dollop of whipped cream, French toast sticks with powdered sugar, sliced bananas with a sprinkle of chocolate chips, store bought croissants, donuts.... you don't have to put in a ton of effort to impress your children. Throw an orange slice on their glass. They will be excited no matter what you surprise them with. Want to get even fancier? Give them a blank "place mat" (printer paper works great) and a few crayons or stickers to design their own while they eat that fancy breakfast.
See? Even worn out moms like me can pull off an amazing celebration to ring in the new school year. The best part? Your kids don't even need to know how easy it was. You know we won't tell 'em!
