Keywords: back to school, mom life, school supplies, back to school tips, parenting multiple kids, elementary school
Wednesday morning arrived like a freight train I’d been watching approach for weeks but somehow still wasn’t ready for. After what felt like the shortest summer in recorded history (though let’s be honest, there were times it felt like the longest), it was time to send my three school-aged daughters back into the wild – also known as public education.
The Great Back-to-School Prep Marathon
Let me paint you a picture: one 7th grader who suddenly cares deeply about her appearance, one 5th grader who keeps bouncing back and forth between wanting and not wanting to go back to school, and one 3rd grader who watches everything her oldest sister does with wide-eyed fascination, while apparently taking notes, who has decided that “preppy” isn’t just a style, but a way of life. Meanwhile, my 3-year-old is asking when she gets to go to “big girl school” like her “iyahs” (her sweet word for her sisters), and my 10-month-old is blissfully unaware that her peaceful baby bubble is about to be shattered by the chaos of school schedules.
The supply shopping alone nearly broke me – and my budget. Have you seen the price of mechanical pencils lately? I’m pretty sure they’re made of gold. And don’t even get me started on the number of glue sticks and black chisel-tip dry erase markers required. Let’s just say it’s a LOT.
Wednesday: The Launch
Starting school on a Wednesday felt like jumping into the deep end of a pool when you’ve forgotten how to swim. That said, I do like the mid-week start and only going three days for the week… maybe we could do that every other week? Even every two weeks would be nice. Just an idea.
My 7th grader approached the day with the confidence and organizational skills that I want to have when I grow up. She had her outfit planned, her backpack packed, and her Bentgo box filled the night before. She woke up at 5 a.m. to make sure she had enough time for her skin care routine, makeup routine, her hair routine and her “fit check” (iykyk).
The 5th grader, bless her heart, packed a stuffed animal and two graphic novels. Apparently, she was counting on there being lots of free time for snuggling and reading.
My 3rd grader spent the morning practicing her “first day of school smile” in the mirror and asking if she looked “preppy enough.” Kid, you’re eight. You look perfect.
This larger Bentgo box is perfect for my teen https://amzn.to/40XoOxY, while this size is perfect for my elementary age kids– https://amzn.to/4ouD0Zr and it has an ice pack!
The Drop-Off Dance
Drop off can get dicey when you have kids at different schools. The middle school drop off is an entire hour before the elementary school drop off. My husband has an interesting work schedule and is home four mornings a week, so at least he can be home with our baby and three-year-old while I get everyone else where they need to go.
That first day involved sitting in the middle school drop-off line for 20 minutes (which wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, if I’m being honest). And we got to listen to the same Taylor Swift song on repeat for that entire time, which was fun. She will probably be a dropped off for the majority of the school year, because I don’t love the idea of my seventh grader riding the bus alone with high schoolers.
The elementary drop off on the first day of school is insane. Luckily for us, most parents were parking and walking their kids up on that first day. My girls agreed that that seemed a bit extra, so we bypassed that whole process and zipped through the car drop-off line much easier than it will be on probably any other day of the school year… Because they have friends on the bus and have a very short bus ride, they will probably take the bus to school the remainder of the school year. Thankfully, they finally seem to actually like the bus (which wasn’t the case when we lived in our old neighborhood). Take your victories where you can, right?
Watching my girls walk into their respective buildings gave me all the feelings – pride, anxiety, excitement, and the sudden urge to chase after them yelling, “Wait! Did you remember to brush your teeth? Are you sure you know where your classroom is? Do you have your lunch? In hindsight though, I should have asked that last one because my fifth grader, in fact, did not have her lunch– she left it in the backseat of my van, which I realized within seconds of getting home.
Thursday and Friday: Finding Our Rhythm
By Thursday, we’d established what I generously call a “routine.” My 7th grader discovered that she does, in fact, need an hour and a half to get ready, so she just repeated her routine from the morning before. My 5th grader realized she didn’t need to bring a library to school, and my 3rd grader realized that she didn’t need to pack an arsenal of lip balms for a single day.
Friday felt like a victory lap. We’d made it through three whole days without any major catastrophes or tearful phone calls from the school nurse, and just one forgotten lunch. This felt like winning the lottery.
Let me just say I didn’t even know these existed until recently, but they make life so much easier for everyone! https://amzn.to/4mxqLJJ
The 3-Year-Old’s Big Debut
Next week brings a new adventure: preschool for my 3-year-old. She’s been practicing her “big girl” skills all summer – you know, like remembering to use her inside voice and not licking random surfaces. I have high hopes and low expectations, which feels like the perfect parenting balance.
She’s already picked out her first-day outfit (her new dress with apples on it because her sisters told her it’s preppy) and has been carrying around a tiny backpack filled with important items like rocks, a half-eaten granola bar, and a toy dinosaur named Dinosaur.
Mom Life in the Trenches
Can we talk about the emotional whiplash of back-to-school season? One minute you’re sad that summer is almost over, until your kids start fighting for the 657th time that day so you start counting down the days until they’re back in school, dreaming of quiet coffee and uninterrupted bathroom breaks. The next minute, you’re tearing up because they’re growing up too fast and you miss their constant chatter.
And then there’s the logistics nightmare. Three different schools, three different schedules, three different sets of rules about everything from dress code to pickup procedures. I’ve become a master juggler, except instead of balls, I’m juggling permission slips, lunch accounts, and the constant question of who has what practice after school and until when?”
Add my part-time work schedule into the mix – two days a week of actual adult conversation and wearing clothes that aren’t designed to be exercised or slept in – and you’ve got a recipe for controlled chaos. I’m fortunate to have a job that I love. During the summer those two days in my office felt like a break from the sibling squabbles and the constant “Can I have a snack? Can I watch a show? Can we go somewhere? Where are we going? Why are you putting your shoes on? Are we going somewhere? I want to go somewhere!” For the record: we went lots of “somewheres,” but apparently not enough for a couple of my kids.
During the school year, those two work days are more of a sprint. I race everyone to their respective schools and bus stops, race to work to squeeze in 7-8 hours of productivity, then race back to pick kids up from practices and back home to do homework. I still love it though, and it does seem to get easier each year once we get a few weeks into the school year and our routine.
Life is easier when you can see everyone’s schedules in black and white (and color!) https://amzn.to/41v3ZKs
The Baby Factor
Through it all, my 10-month-old has been my constant companion, blissfully unaware that her world is about to change too. She’s been enjoying the extra attention while her sisters are at school, but I can see the confusion in her eyes when they disappear each morning and reappear each afternoon with stories of mysterious places called “cafeteria” and “gym class.”
On my work days, she spends her time with my husband, while I attempt to remember what it feels like to have conversations that don’t revolve around snack preferences or playground drama. Those two days a week allow me to use my brain in ways that I just don’t when I’m home with kids all day – though let’s be honest, I still spend half my lunch break checking school apps and responding to teacher emails.
Survival Tips for Fellow Parents in the Trenches
After three whole days of experience (plus all the years before this one– call me an expert), here are my hard-won insights:
Coffee is not optional. It’s a necessity. A survival tool. A liquid hug in a mug.
Lay out clothes the night before, or embrace the reality that your child will wear pajamas to school at least once this year. It’s character building.
Pack lunches while making dinner the night before. Future you will thank present you when you’re not trying to construct a sandwich while your toddler hangs on your leg asking for breakfast.
Keep a “emergency supply” stash in your car: band-aids, snacks, extra underwear, and your sanity (stored in coffee form).
Embrace the juggling act. Some days you’ll feel like a boss at work and forget to pack lunch. Other days you’ll be the Pinterest-perfect mom but miss a work email or two. Balance is a myth – survival is the goal.
The perfect size Yeti travel cup for all the coffee you’ll need https://amzn.to/3HtCIRP
Looking Ahead
As I write this, my 7th grader is confidently practicing volleyball in the front yard (she just made the school team) and trying to give my 5th grader (who’s trying out for her school team tomorrow) pointers on her serve. My 3rd grader is playing school sweetly with my 3-year-old, and my baby is napping peacefully across me (yes, we still contact nap, and I love it).
Next week, we’ll add preschool drop-off to our routine (thankfully she is going to school in the afternoons!), and I’ll officially become a woman with four children in three different locations each afternoon. Send coffee. And maybe wine for after pickup.
But you know what? We’re doing it. We’re figuring it out as we go, making mistakes, celebrating small victories, and somehow keeping everyone fed, clothed, and mostly happy.
To all the parents out there navigating this back-to-school season: we’ve got this. We might not have it all figured out, but we’ve got this. Three days down, 177 to go. But who’s counting?
What’s your biggest back-to-school challenge this year? Share your survival stories in the comments below – misery loves company, but so does solidarity!
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