Dylan's a 2nd Grader + Back-to-School Traditions

Back to school traditions have not come super easily to me, and to be honest, I was still thinking of new things to do each year (including this year). But I think this year I finally got it down to exactly what we want to do each and every time school starts. I am hoping to establish these traditions to do with all my kids as they start each school year, and it’s been fun experimenting to see what we love to do, and what we feel isn’t something we would do again.

Something I have done with Dylan since starting Kindergarten is our “Back-to-School Date night.” This is a special date where Dylan gets to choose where we go eat and who gets to come along. We talk about what he hopes to accomplish in the school year ahead, whether he’s excited or nervous to start school, and all the things to look forward too when school starts. This date usually either happens the night before school starts, or the night of the first day. This year the night-of didn’t work out, so we went the night before, and it was a perfect way to open up the school year and get Dylan’s opinion on the upcoming year. He chose Zupas (he’s chosen that place every single date we have ever had surrounding school. It’s his absolute favorite). He wanted the whole family to be there, and it was so fun to go out as a family and be able to bond with Dylan and talk about school starting.

After dinner then we come home and play games or read books before bed and just focus on Dylan. It’s so fun and we look forward to it each beginning and ending of school year. We also do the same “End-of-School Date night” where he also gets to choose where we eat and who gets to come along, and we talk about the school year and what he’s going to miss about school, and what he’s excited to do during the Summer. It’s such a fun kick-off to Summer Break.

Another tradition we incorporated this year was Dylan’s Back-to-School Time Capsule. I honestly wasn’t planning on doing anything else, but then the night before school I just decided it would be fun for Dylan to fill out a questionnaire about all his “favorites” and then trace his hand and color it, as well as draw a self-portrait.

 

It took 30 minutes total to do everything, and I think it’s going to be so fun for us to open at the end of the school year and see how his answers, handwriting, and drawing skills compare to the beginning of the year, as well as see how much his hand grew. All I did was google “school time capsule” and a bunch of things came up and questionnaires. I found one I liked, and just copied most of the questions and wrote out my own, and added a few questions of my own that I wanted him to answer. It was all so simple, but he really enjoyed it, and it will be fun to open when school is done. I will just put it all in an empty paint can we have out in the garage and open in the last day of school 🙂

Another tradition we do is I make a big breakfast the morning school starts…basically whatever Dylan wants. This year he wanted scrambled eggs, a green protein smoothie and cereal lol. So I made all of it for him and he ate it all! I didn’t take pictures, but it’s a pretty basic tradition and it’s fun to do the morning before school.

And then, of course, we do the annual “Back-to-School” photos with a letter board telling us what grade he’s going into, and what he wants to be when he grows up. It’s fun to incorporate the occupation because it’s constantly changing, so to see what he wants to be at the beginning of the year and at the end, is so fun. We like to do solo photos of him, then some with Baby so we can see how they both look at this age when he starts school. Then of course I have to take some selfies with Dylie too 🙂

 

I have been having the hardest time yet with him starting school. It seems each year gets harder and harder, and it definitely doesn’t help this year that I’m pregnant and my hormones are all over the place. I had a full-on melt-down Monday night for a solid 90 minutes of the ugly-cry, complete with hyperventilating about him going back to school. Brett just held me and was dazed and confused as to why I was acting like our child had died lol, but he did his best to comfort my mama heart. I hate that Summer is over. I hate that I can’t rewind time back to our lazy mornings, splash-pad afternoons, blasting music in the car with Swig drinks all around, and just playing outside together or video games together inside. This Summer was incredible for us, and I am just so sad he’s going back and won’t be with me 24/7. It just feels like a loss, and it stinks. But as Dylie constantly reminds me when I tell him I want him to stay home with me: “I can’t retire from school Mom! I gotta go learn. I will come back when you pick me up. :)” How freaking cute is he? He even offered to “retire” because I kept asking so much…to which I obviously told him “Yes! You can stay home all day and life can stay the same!” No no, obviously I told him I knew he needed to go, it just made me sad that he’s just constantly growing up and I can’t do anything to stop it. That child knows exactly what I need when I need it, and I just love him wayyyyyyy to much.

Dylan is always so excited to go back to school, and I am over here trying to keep my composure and be so excited with him (although in my heart and soul, I’m dying inside). He started school yesterday, and the day began with him BURSTING into my room screaming “Today is the day I’m a second grader!!!!!” while he jumped on me in bed. I love his excitement and enthusiasm, and his effortless way of being who he is without holding back. He just thrills me, that kid. And after Baby and I walked him to where his school line was, he was already chatting it up with his new teacher, other kids around him, and kept assuring me “I’m okay Mom! I love you!” It’s amazing how much bravery and courage he has. I remember being absolutely terrified the first days of school, so his excitement and joy kind of throws me off a little. And, of course, he had an amazing day. He came running to me with a big smiley-face note from his teacher that let me know what an amazing kid Dylan is, what a great first day he had, and that he was the best listener in his class and tried to be friends with everyone. It melted my heart to a puddle. He’s just incredible. And I adore him.

I am so proud of him and for all he’s accomplishing. He’s so smart, so funny, has such a tender little heart, and always is trying to make friends wherever he goes. He has the most amazing imagination and is constantly thinking of new stories, funny things to say and such creative ways to play with his baby brother. He loves to constantly give me and the baby bump kisses, says “I love you mom!” 1009x a day, and loves to be cuddled. Me and Baby miss him each time he shuts the car door, to the time he opens it again in the afternoon, but we know he’s doing what he should be doing (and with a big fat smile I might add), and that makes my heart so happy. Happy 2nd Grade to you Dylie! You are gonna rock it like nobody’s business!! Go get em.’

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