First grade fifty-one years ago.
Here it is: My best tip for the upcoming school year. Hold on. Drum roll, please:
Take the First Day of School off Work!
Disclaimer: You probably can’t do this if you are a teacher, bus driver, principal, or school cook. But I suppose you could ask.
Whether you are sending off your first kindergartener, your final senior, or a bunch of somebodies in between, you are about to hit one of the most stressful days of the year. For you, for them, for all the other people in the drop-off line.
Removing the additional stress of getting yourself to work on time makes a huge difference. If the day goes smoothly and no one has a meltdown or forgets their lunch, you can just be happy to be there when they come home. Ready to listen to all their delightful conversation or their occasional grunts and shrugs. Whatever.
Warm cookies and milk are optional, but your children will be starving. Fair warning.
They will also be tired. Count on the first two weeks of the school year being exhausting for everyone. Even if your third grader loves his new teacher and the class pet and all the books in the library, he will still be overly-tired. Don’t plan evening events if you can avoid them. Be merciful when everyone is grouchy. Keep meals simple and familiar, nothing new and exotic.
Be gentle with yourself and everyone else for these next two weeks. The rhythm will eventually settle in. But, for now, take the first day off, and slow down for the next thirteen.
Oh, and what about you, Dear Reader? The one with no children going to school? Well, August is shamefully devoid of any major holidays. So make one up! Happy First Day of School for the Rest of the World. Maybe you could spend it at the zoo. It won’t be crowded.