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Kelli (Stay-at-home mom of Logan 8, and Whitney 7):  Go ahead. Ask me how the first day of school went.

 

Jen (Dual-career mom of Jacob 5, and Caleb, 2): Alright. How’d it go?

 

Kelli: Fantastic! Got the cute first day pictures in the driveway. Walked the kids to their classes and introduced myself to the teachers. Gave the kids a squish before they ran off to morning recess. Then I rewarded myself for a summer well done with a pedicure with a little nap thrown in on the side.

 
Jen: How can you sleep at a time like this? As Jacob’s first day of kindergarten gets closer I’m a wreck! What if all my school anxieties as a kid actually happen to him?

Kelli: You mean like having no friends to play with?

 

Jen:  Yes, but worse. I think anxieties have evolved since we were in school. More like instead of kids talking behind your back, now they text behind your back.

Kelli: I’m with you. I used to be a brown bread kid in a Wonder Bread world. Now it’s an issue if you’re the Wonder Bread kid in a multi-grain world.

Jen: And all the cool kids are at the peanut allergy table.

Kelli: Nobody will trade their Whole Foods sugarless, wheat-free cookies for your Doritos.

 

Jen: Everyone at the lunch table has organic food in reusable plastic containers and you have Uncrustables in a baggie.

Kelli: You get heckled for drinking additive infused water.

 

Jen:  You’re nobody at show-and-tell if you don’t bring a Webkinz.
 
Kelli: You missed the memo that your Hannah Montana backpack is sooo last year. Anyone who’s anyone has the Camp Rock backpack with the Jonas Brothers.

 

Jen:  Your kids are embarrassed to be dropped off in a gas-guzzling SUV.

 

Kelli: You’re the only kid whose mom won’t let you wear fake tattoos.

Jen: You have to share your hand-written oral report after the kid who brought their laptop to show their YouTube presentation video.

 

Kelli: You don’t know how to play simulated Wii basketball at recess.

 

Jen: You thought your kid just needed to know the sounds of the alphabet to start kindergarten, not how to read the first paragraph of War and Peace.

 
Kelli: You’ve got Target tennis shoes instead of DC’s or Etnies

Jen: You've never heard of Lelli Kelly shoes.

Kelli: Your kid wants to know why they don’t have two mommies or two daddies.

 

Jen: Your kid insists that it's cool to have their underwear show outside of their pants.

 

Kelli: Bringing an apple for the teacher just doesn’t cut it like a Starbucks gift card.

 

Jen: The teacher downloads their class notes to an iPod.

 

Kelli: Alright, I think we’ve sufficiently blown this way out of proportion and did not help to calm your first day jitters.

 

Jen: I just hope I can make it through drop-off without embarrassing myself or Jacob.

 

Kelli: Then you better show up in a hybrid car.

 

Kelli Wheeler is a Sacramento stay-at-home mom of two proud to be an early pioneer of nine-grain bread sandwiches long before Whole Foods made it cool.

 

Jen Hall is a Sacramento dual-career mom of two who has taken Kelli's advice and has scheduled a pedicure as a cure for the post drop off blues.

 

 

Ten Ways to Take the Jitters out of First Day of School

 

1. Go Back-to-School shopping. Even if you only pick up a few items, kids love the excitement of having new things to take to school.
2. Lay out a new outfit the night before. Again, the kids will be excited to wear something new for a fresh start and planning ahead avoids a morning rush.
3. Begin the routine before school starts. There will be a lot of new expectations that can be overwhelming, so have reading time, bedtime, and morning routines already established so you don’t add to the overload.
4. Who’s in class? Call around once classes are announced to find out who might be in your child’s class and share it with them. Knowing there’ll be a familiar face or friend helps cut down on the anxiety of the unknown.
5. Talk up the teacher. Kids’ biggest fear is a mean teacher, so whether you know the instructor or not, make sure you sing their praises or imagine together all the fun things the teacher might teach. If you’re not thrilled about the teacher, don’t let your biases taint your child’s school year.
6. Go to school before school. Make sure to attend the new student/school orientation with your child or go on your own if you missed it. Walking the grounds to show where their classroom is, the bathrooms, the cafeteria, etc. helps relieve anxieties about feeling lost.
7. No drop offs. Set a good example by going into the classroom and introducing yourself and your child to the teacher. Plus, it helps alleviate student anxiety about meeting the teacher if you are their buffer. Most elementary teachers have their doors open for early meet and greets before school starts.
8. Role play. Young kids especially do well with acting out ahead of time. Practice the first day of school routine and let the child play the role of the teacher. Then switch places. This allows the child to come up with questions they otherwise wouldn't have asked.
9. Special Treat. Arrange for a special dinner on the first day of school or ice cream treat after school. You can talk about their day and make a big deal of the child's transition into their new routine.
10. Share a story. Tell about one of your first days of school. Kids usually love hearing about when their parents were little and find comfort in shared similar experiences.