The years seem to pick up speed as your child gets older. One minute, they are getting on the bus for kindergarten, and in the blink of an eye, they are walking across the stage at their high school graduation. Don’t let those years go by in a blur. Capture the first day of school with a tradition the kids will look forward to every year:
Freeze a Memory
1. Drive to your local high school a few days before school starts. Capture a picture of your child standing by the marquee or in front of the building, near the front door. You can also snap a picture of them gazing up at the school while wearing their backpack. Taken every year, this makes a great collage of photos to display at your child’s high school graduation party.
2. Every year before school starts, purchase a Time magazine and a People magazine. Have your child pose with the covers to show what was in the news that year.
3. Buy a T-shirt from the high school spirit store in an adult size. Take a picture of your child wearing the shirt with their backpack on the ground next to them. It is a great way to show how your child and their choice of backpacks have changed over the years.
4. Pose your student standing next to mom or dad in front of the house. Bring enough books for your child to stand on until they are as tall as their parents. As the years go by and your child grows, they will need fewer and fewer books. In his high school pictures, mom might be the one standing on the books.
5. Don’t forget to get a picture of mom and dad on the first day of school. Capture mom’s tears as the bus drives away, and don’t miss mom and dad high-fiving as the last child leaves the house.
Cook Something Good
6. The night before school starts, bake a round loaf of bread and place a clean penny in the dough before it bakes. Before dinner, have all the kids hold onto a piece of bread and break it off. The one that gets the penny will have extra good luck this year at school.
7. Start the day off right with a special meal. Choose a traditional breakfast of eggs and toast, whip up a smoothie for a light and healthy meal, or lighten the mood with something silly, like cookie cutter pancakes with whipped cream.
8. Shop with your child before school starts and let them choose a special back-to-school lunch. Go beyond the sandwich to find yogurt parfaits, fruit pizza, or ham and cheese kabobs. Don’t forget a note from mom and a Hershey’s kiss.
9. When your child comes home from school, they will want to tell you all about their teacher, their classes, and their day. Prepare a special after-school snack like an ice cream sundae bar or colorful fruit trifle.
Watch Them Grow
10. On the first day of school, measure your child from head to toe with a piece of string cut to their height. Put the string in an envelope and mark it with the date. At the end of the year, measure them again and see how much they have grown.
11. Plant a tree in celebration of your child starting kindergarten. Every year, take a picture of your child in front of the tree and watch them both grow.
12. Make a back-to-school flag out of white cloth to hang in front of the house. Every year, add your children’s handprints using different color paints. Include the date and their age to create a treasure that you look forward to showing off every year.
13. Make concrete stepping stones with your child’s footprint and the date. Let them decorate and add the stones to your yard to create a wonderful memory garden.
Celebrate
14. Have a back-to-school bash. This is a great way to reconnect with all the kids you did not get to see over the summer. Rent a large slip-and-slide or a bounce castle, cook up some hot dogs, and pass out the popsicles. Enjoy one last hoorah before school starts.
15. Your teens and tweens will be happy with an evening bonfire to mourn the end of summer. Bring out the speakers and let them crank their music. Provide a fire, plenty of snacks, and enough seating for everyone.
Don’t forget a party for the moms. A first day of school potluck breakfast is a great opportunity for the moms to celebrate the return to routine.
Make a Time Capsule
It’s never too late to make a time capsule. Decorate a box with a lid and store it away with the other special items in the basement or attic. Here are a few things you can add to the capsule each year:
A picture of your child.
A sample of their handwriting with the date.
A family letter written by mom or the child.
A questionnaire about their favorites—food, friends, activities, etc.
A trending item, like a Squishmallow or a new game.
A weekly news or entertainment magazine.
A letter from their new teacher welcoming them to school.
A favorite book that you read over the summer.
A penny from the current year.
A small favorite item, like a keychain or earring.
— Pam Molnar
Banana Raisin Oatmeal Cups
Photo and recipe courtesy of Hood
Ingredients
3 cups oatmeal, uncooked
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup mashed ripe banana
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups Hood® 1% Lowfat Milk in the LightBlock Bottle
½ cup raisins
Directions
STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line the muffin tins with paper liners. STEP 2 In a large mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. STEP 3 In another large mixing bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the milk. STEP 4 Pour the milk mixture into the oats mixture. Add the raisins. Stir well to combine. The batter will be soupy. STEP 5 Fill the muffin cups to the top with batter, making sure there is an equal amount of fluid and oats in each cup. STEP 6 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Let the muffins set for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Tips for Taking Back-to-School Photos – Safely
Before you share your back-to-school pictures on social media, check out these safety tips from the Better Business Bureau (BBB):
Start by checking your privacy settings. “Be mindful of whom can view your posts,” said the BBB.
If your child is holding a sign, don’t include any personal information on it, like their full name, age, or height.
Also keep the details about your child’s school (i.e., grade, teacher) private; the BBB warns that sharing this information “could make them a target for unscrupulous people.”
Use a plain background, and steer clear of house numbers or street names. “Make sure no school signs, bus stops, or other landmarks are visible that could reveal your child’s location,” added the BBB.
