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back-to-school

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In School

Kindergarten: What to Pack, What to Label & What to Leave at Home

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Starting kindergarten is a huge milestone for both kids and parents. One minute you’re buying a tiny backpack and practicing opening lunch containers, and the next you’re waving goodbye at the classroom door. While every school is a little different, one thing is almost always the same: kindergarteners have a lot of stuff. Between backpacks, lunch bags, water bottles, sweaters, indoor shoes, and extra clothes, it’s easy for belongings to get mixed up in a classroom full of little learners. A little preparation before the first day can make the transition much smoother. Before You Shop, Check the Supply List Every teacher has their own classroom routines, so start by reviewing your school’s kindergarten supply list. Many classrooms share supplies like crayons, markers, glue sticks, pencils, and scissors. While it might be tempting to label every single item, your teacher may actually prefer these supplies to stay unlabeled so they…

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In School

My Kid Isn’t in the Same Class as Their Best Friend

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“My kid isn’t in the same class as their best friend.” Every August, thousands of parents gasp when they see the class list. It’s usually followed by a rush in internal questions, or reaching out to the group chat… “Should I ask the school to change it?” “Will my child be lonely?” “Did the school make a mistake?” If you’re reading this because the class lists just came out and your heart dropped when you couldn’t find your kid’s best friend on the same class list, I understand. I really do. Because I have two very different kids. Two Kids, Two Very Different Reactions One of them could walk into a room where she doesn’t know a single person and leave with three new best friends. She’s outgoing, confident and the kind of kid who can strike up a conversation with just about anyone. My other kid is different. She’s…

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In Food

Back-to-School Lunch Packing: Tips, Gear, and Hacks That Actually Work

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Because no one wants to be cutting cucumbers at 7 a.m. Equal parts necessity and battle of wills. You want to pack something healthy, your kid wants to avoid embarrassment, and ideally, nobody wants to be scraping off mashed banana from the bottom of a lunch bag on a Thursday afternoon. Whether you’re sending a picky pre-K or a growing Grade 2, a little planning goes a long way. Here’s how to make lunch-packing smoother, smarter, and dare we say, more fun? Lunch Packing Hacks You’ll Actually Want to Use Let’s be real. Packing lunch every day gets old fast. These tricks make it easier, faster, and way less wasteful. Stop Fruit from Browning If your kid loves apple slices but refuses to eat them once they turn brown, this hack will save you. Soak sliced apples or pears in salt water for about 5 minutes, then drain and dry…

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In Parenting

Weird but Totally Normal: 8 Coping Mechanisms Kids Use During Big Transitions

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New grade. New teacher. New drop-off line. Whether it’s starting Kindergarten or heading into a new school year, transitions can be a rollercoaster for young kids—and let’s be honest, for parents too. Oftentimes, we see this manifest as weird coping mechanisms in kids. If your child is suddenly clinging to an old sock or talking to themselves like they’re the star of a one-kid play, you might be wondering: Is this normal? The short answer? Yes. Totally. These weird coping mechanisms in young children are not only common — they’re developmentally expected. Here’s a closer look at the quirky, surprising ways kids handle big change — and why most of it is nothing to worry about. 1. The Transitional Object: Sacred Stuffy, the Random Rock You might notice your child gripping a random object on the way to school — a tiny stuffy, a beat-up rock from the backyard, or…

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In School

Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten? Academic and Life Skills Checklist

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With our kids starting school in just over a month, many first-time Kindie moms are beginning to feel like they can’t be prepared enough for what is about to happen. From the emotional rollercoaster, the school lunches, routine changes, worries about our kids’ making friends, eating their lunch, and all the other elements of independence they’re about to embark on. It’s hard to know where to begin with getting our kids prepared. Here is how to prepare for Kindergarten: tips from a teacher and mom. The only thing most of us know for sure is we’re about to be a sobbing mess on that first day of school. Have I prepared my little one for this?   We asked Kindie parent and teacher, Ms. McNulty, what tips she would give to other parents. What does she expect kindies to know on the first day of class, and how she’s preparing her…

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In Parenting

The Back-to-School Habit That I’m Prioritizing Above All Else: Sleep! (Yes, Even Before Homework)

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Every year, back-to-school sneaks up on me. Suddenly, we’re knee-deep in packing lunch, late-night cheer practices, and stinky gym clothes. And in chaos, something always gets sacrificed. Usually? Sleep. But not this year! This year, I’ve declared sleep our back-to-school priority. That means no more late-night math marathons or cheer practices that run into bedtime. We’re choosing rest—because well-rested kids (and parents) are simply better humans. How I got Here –  Prioritizing Sleep Changed Everything in Our House this Summer I’ll admit it—I used to treat summer like one big free-for-all. Bedtimes were “suggestions,” screens were everywhere, and we were always cramming in “just one more thing.” But this summer, I decided to test a theory: What if we actually slept? So we did. No more late-night chaos, no more overstimulation. Just earlier wind-downs and consistent bedtimes—for all of us. And you know what? The change was instant: Mornings got…

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In School

What to Expect From Your Kindergartener in the First Month

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You’ve done the school supply haul. You’ve labeled everything (yay!) You’ve taken the “first day of school” photo (three times because they blinked). And now… you wait. What no one really prepares you for? The emotional, behavioral, and even biological whirlwind your child is about to enter. That first month of kindergarten can feel like your once-sweet kid morphed into a mix of a gremlin, a teenager, and a baby giraffe learning to walk—all rolled into one adorable tornado of a kid. 1. Expect the After-School Meltdown They held it together all day. And now? You’re the safe zone- they unleashed the after-school restraint collapse. Your kindergartener may walk through the door and crumble: tears, attitude, dramatic declarations like, “I’m NEVER going back!” This is normal. School requires them to regulate all day—sitting still, sharing, remembering routines. When they get home, the emotional floodgates open. How to help: Don’t pepper…

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Homeschooling 2025
In School

Why Does Homeschooling Still Feel Controversial?

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Why is Homeschooling Still a Hot Topic? Back-to-school season comes with sharpened pencils, nervous energy, and, for some families, raised eyebrows. While homeschooling has been steadily growing for years, there’s still an air of “Wait, you do what now?” around it. Why does homeschooling still feel controversial? Even in 2025, when flexible learning options are more accessible than ever, homeschooling can trigger strong opinions. Some people assume it’s a lifestyle only for the ultra-crunchy. Others question whether kids will grow up lacking social skills or basic math. And let’s be honest, there are still folks who picture homeschooled kids churning butter in Little House aprons and bonnets. Spoiler: that’s not the reality for most families. Where the Stigma Comes From Let’s rewind. Historically, homeschooling was often associated with fringe ideologies, mistrust of public education, or families seeking to avoid curriculum they didn’t agree with. In other words—it got typecast. Even…

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In Parenting

“Let Them Rest” vs. “Keep Them Learning”: The Great Summer Slide Debate

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Is summertime the reset kids need—or an academic setback? Parents and teachers are divided, and it’s easy to see both sides.  What Is the Summer Slide? The summer slide—also known as summer learning loss—is the decline in academic skills that can happen when kids take an extended break from structured learning over the summer months. For many students in the early elementary grades, this slide can mean starting the new school year already behind where they left off. Studies show that students can lose up to two months of math and reading skills during summer vacation if they’re not engaged academically. But what happens when those same kids have been burning out under academic pressure all year long? That’s where the debate begins. Some parents argue that summer is a much-needed pause for mental health and development—while many educators see summer learning as essential to keeping kids on track. So…

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In Parenting

Preparing for Kindergarten: Social-Emotional Skills Every Child Needs

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Is my toddler ready to transition from daycare to kindergarten? From a teacher-mom of two, here’s what to look for and how to prep your kid like a pro, without overwhelming them! The Daycare to Kindergarten Transition Is a Big Deal Wondering if your toddler is ready for kindergarten? Here are clear signs and simple steps to help with the daycare-to-kindergarten transition. Let’s be real: the jump from daycare to kindergarten can feel like a leap off a cliff—for both of you. One minute your toddler is finger painting and napping after lunch, the next they’re expected to sit still for circle time, line up without tears, and manage a backpack bigger than their torso. Kindergarten brings with it a new set of expectations—not just academically, but socially and emotionally. For many kids, this is the first time they’ll be one of many in a big classroom instead of the…

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