It’s back to school time, are your kids ready? Are you ready?
While during the elementary years, the kids were excited to go back to school, once they hit the teen years the excitement level has usually dropped as they prefer their lazy summer days sleeping in late and hanging out with friends.
5 Ways to Make Back Special for Teens
1 – Back to School clothes Back to school shopping has been a tradition. If your teens are like mine, they’ve outgrown their clothes over the summer. We feel better when we’re wearing clothes that we like and make us feel good.
We headed to the mall and stopped in a few of my son’s favorites shop for back to school shopping a few days before school started. These days that’s Hollister, H&M, and PacSun plus any store that sells Nike or Vans. It’s still hot here in Phoenix for a few more months so we picked out a few t-shirts and shorts (he recently moved up another size in shirts). We’ll wait on the jeans until he goes back to in-person school (if that happens this year) because at that point he may in the next size pants by then.
2 – New school supplies New pens and new notebooks are such a simple thing but bring a little joy to everyone. I always buy myself a few new things when shopping for my son’s school supplies. I found some supplies around the house but I also shopped for a few new items.
Once in high school the supplies list is much smaller (bonus!). It’s more what they want to use to take notes and keep their papers together. A few pens and pencils (for standardized tests). Usually a graphing calculator too. If they have a school issued iPad or tablet, a stylus may be useful for them.
They do need backpack so check last years to see if it can be used again (and check with them to make sure because once they reach high school style matters). Some schools are switching to clear or mesh backpacks so make sure you check with your school for their backpack policy.
related post: Clear and Mesh Backpacks for High School
3 – Back to School Photos This one has always been done more for mom than the kids but its a ritual they’ve gotten used to. Don’t forget to snap those photos on the first day.
4 – Special Back to School Breakfast Since weekdays are usually crazy, full homecooked breakfasts including pancakes and eggs are usually left for weekends. Mark the first day of school as a special vacation by making pancakes. Feeling creative? Make the pancakes in the shapes of their initials and numbers for their grade in school. Or go simple, and pick up special donuts. Want to take it up a notch? Donuts in school colors are always a fun treat – check out my tutorial.
5 – Go out for after school ice cream Go out for ice cream after the school day is open. Or order ice cream and some fun toppings for grocery store pickup and make your treats at home.
