This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Intel
I started teaching English 15 years ago. That has absolutely nothing to do with this post except that I have experienced 15 separate years of Back To School shopping for both my own children and also for my students and that fact is kind of mind-boggling to me right now.
When I was in elementary school (or grammar school, if you prefer) my mother took me and my sisters school shopping in late August of every year. It was the 70s, we were living in the Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, and we went to Catholic school. Now, this fact I mention because there isn’t much clothes shopping that’s very exciting about getting our required uniforms. Every year the same shop had our uniforms and the only thrill was deciding between plaid jumpers, plaid culottes, and plaid shorts. There really was no way to make that fun. Unless you count the time we found plaid headbands to hold back my afro and you know what? I totally do not count that time.
The rituals were much the same for getting our school supplies and I was convinced that any folder or pencil or eraser with Hello Kitty on it would surely be accepted by the nuns who would be teaching me. (I need to shout out to Sister Geraldine here. Hey, sis! What up?) Honestly, the real fun came when we got to get our saddle shoes. My mother always found this to be funny and nostalgic because she wore them to school when she was a girl and it amused her that her girls were wearing them since they came back in fashion. My mom never worr her shoes home from the store because she adored opening the box to smell the leather even more than wearing them and she spoiled us occasionally and let my sisters and I wear them so long as we didn’t scuff them up too badly.
Now that I’m a mom, I find that it’s regrettable that saddle shoes aren’t in fashion. Or that my children don’t wear uniforms. Or even that my boys refuse to use anything with Hello Kitty on it. (They are SO missing out on something cool here. I mean, how many girls would be all, “Oh, how C-U-T-E!” and then they’d be a hit with them?) (Wait. I don’t need any girls flirting with my boys.) (Back off, girls! I mean it!) Our routines are much different than when I was a kid. Normally, we shop for jeans and cargo pants and polo shirts. They get one pair of tennis shoes and then we scurry over to the department stores for paper, notebooks, and expensive calculators. My sons, both in high school now, will probably get a haircut before school starts, ask for money to buy music or go to the movies, and then we’ll call it a day. My routines as a kid seemed to happen all in one day. Theirs seems to go on for about a week while I go back and forth to work myself and call them during the day as they play out their last days of summer:
Hey. I have a packet of sticky notes in my drawer here at work. Want it?
Sure, mom. Whatever. Wait. Are they pink?
No. Maybe. YES.
Bring me yellow ones. Do you have any good pens?
You know I do. I like good pens.
How about a new zip drive?
DUDE. You’re pushing it. I have some thumb drives at home. Use those.
I need some more CDs to burn some music. (We buy all our music in this house. ALL of it. Don’t judge me.)
This goes on for some time until I eventually realize that they are just hoping to get some electronic devices out of me. I don’t fall for it. Not all the time anyway.
You’re done hearing about the exchange between me and my sons now. You probably want to know how you can win a new laptop, right? RIGHT.
To enter the contest to win that pretty shiny laptop, leave me a comment below and leave a comment about what back to school tools or rituals you had vs. what your children have today – or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. The contest will begin at 9:00 a.m. (PST) July 21, 2009 and will end 5:00 p.m. (PST) August 31, 2009. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.
Rules:
- No duplicate comments.
- You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
- You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
- This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
- You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
- Please see the official rules here.
Check out this BlogHer page to see the other ladies doing reviews.
Acer Aspire’s homepage can be found here and dang! That thing looks super slick on this page.
Mocha Momma » I Really Needed a Laptop Said,
August 3, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
[...] this? Because you have a chance at winning the exact same laptop from BlogHer and Acer. Visit this page on this site and get in the running to win a free laptop just in time for school to begin again. [...]
Dawn Said,
August 4, 2009 @ 8:23 am
Back to school rituals. I have to spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks, while I pay thousands of dollars for my 3-year-old to go to pre-school. Things have certainly changed and have gotten more expensive. A new laptop would rock my world and save me some much need $$$. Being a student and a parent is expensive-but you know that.
ms_teacher Said,
August 4, 2009 @ 8:56 am
The biggest difference in getting ready for school between my children and myself is continuity. As a Navy Brat, I went to 14 different schools. Many first days were spent wondering if I would make friends, if I would like my new teachers, and how long we would stay in our new location. For my children, we have lived in the same community since my husband and I moved here over 20 years ago. They have really only had to deal with the typical changes that come when moving from elementary to middle school and then to high school.
Other rituals are that my mom used to make us lunch every day. Our lunches consister of a sandwich, a treat and fruit and/or vegetables. We very rarely bought lunch. For my children, when they were younger my husband often made lunch which usually consisted of a sandwich, fruit snack/fruit roll-up, chips and/or fruit and veggies. Our kids also usually had a capri sun because they did’t care for the school milk which more times than not went bad.They decided to stop taking chances!
annettek Said,
August 4, 2009 @ 11:59 am
The main difference I see is the amount of supplies we’re required to buy for the beginning of school. I remember only needing a couple of notebooks and some pencils when I went. Now we’re asked to send tissues and hand sanitizer and all kinds of stuff that the poor teachers can’t get from the school system because budgets are so tight. Not that I mind it, it just strikes me as so very different.
Tug Said,
August 4, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
My parents were poor teachers with 4 kids, I was a single mom & broke, so we didn’t really have any rituals to speak of…search for sales and get in and out as quickly as we could!
We did always have the ‘first day of school’ picture though, and I still crack up and make fun of my little brother’s first day of kindergarten photo…maybe I’ll dig it out & send it to him via e-mail just for fun.
Karyn Said,
August 5, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
I remember my mom and I would go out and she would buy me lots of sort of trendy clothes for the year, except they weren’t the trend in my school and I was never quite comfortable in them. Still a good memory. She’d also take the three of us to get our school supplies and I so loved buying school supplies. My son is too young to need much beyond clothes, shoes, and a bag big enough to carry the kind of projects a 3-4 year old would do in school. I am looking forward (without wishing this time away) to our trips to buy supplies.
Erin Said,
August 6, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
My mom was a teacher, and so I started preparing for the school year way before most other kids did. I always got the stuff that was on the list as “required” plus a few extras, like a new Trapper Keeper or bookbag. Occasionally, I’d get a few new clothes at the back-to-school sales, but generally I wore hand-me-downs.
I’m amazed at the amount of stuff kids have, and seem to need, for school these days. I have no idea what some of it is even for! I suppose that when our son (who is now 5 months old) gets a bit older, I’ll figure it out.
What an awesome giveaway, I would SO love to win this!
whall Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 12:07 am
I read your other post about Jayne and was going to suggest you name one Jayne and the other Joan. Then you can play “Sibling Rivalry” by Jonathan Coulton over and over and over again (I have) and it will gain a deep and personal meaning to you.
google it. It’s a neat song.
Anyway for me I’d say the biggest difference (you said ritual, but what the hey) is SHORTS. My kids can wear SHORTS to school. YES I SAID SHORTS and I’ll say it again SHORTS.
Awesome.
Jenny Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 10:24 am
testing to make sure comments are working – don’t mind me
Kat E Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
My school tools were a calculator, pens, paper, markers and crayons – for kids now it’s a laptop that covers almost all of those in one. I think it’s great and wish they had been available back when I was in college!
Jeana Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
Ah! You reminded me of something my daughters and I have in common about school supplies–Hello Kitty! She’s still kickin’.
I have yet to convince my boys of that.
Tanya Anna Wilson Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
I had alot to say so I blogged about it. Here is the link to the post on my blog (2nd paragraph) about my own rituals vs. my kids rituals of today.
http://twinceretwinkles.blogspot.com/2009/08/intel-wants-to-help-you-move-to-head-of.html
Twincere(at)gmail(dot)com
Tanya Anna Wilson Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
I blogged about this awesome review & giveaway and
included a linkback to your blog here on my own blog:
http://twinceretwinkles.blogspot.com/2009/08/intel-wants-to-help-you-move-to-head-of.html
Twincere(at)gmail(dot)com
Tanya Anna Wilson Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
I tweeted about this Review & giveaway here:
http://twitter.com/Twincere/status/3183985878
Twincere(at)gmail(dot)com
Beth Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
We got a new pair of tennis shoes each school year. Now I can’t get my girls to wear anything but their crocs. Not sure what we will do when it gets cold!
Beth Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/simplybudgeted/status/3184311914
Jadine Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
Rituals when I was a kid: none…well, I couldn’t sleep the night before, and it was sometimes my birthday.
Rituals my kids have: I take a first-day-of-school photo, they get to wear their new clothes/shoes, that’s about it. No wait! After the first day of school, I have them complete a survey about themselves. It’s fun to watch their answers change as they get older.
Reginald S Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
My friends and I would walk to school the first day ( kind of tells my age, doesn’t it? ). Now I surprise my kids and drop in for lunch one day the first week of school.They never know which day so it’s a great surprise.
beth b. Said,
August 7, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
The only ritual I really remember as a kid was getting brand new shoes. They were clean and unscuffed and I felt so special in them. I’m sure I must have needed other things, but I don’t really remember. I especially don’t remember ever getting school supplies (my mom probably did it and didn’t take me). For my kids, the school supplies are pretty much all the back to school shopping we need to do. We homeschool so they don’t really need any new clothes. Are rituals are really on the first day of school where we plan a great breakfast, read a good book out on the lawn and have a yummy lunch together.
Thanks for the entry – my laptop broke last year and I’ve really missed it!
Alex Montana Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 12:22 am
Everyone got one new pair of shoes. And you were expected to keep them in good running order for the year. We didn’t go shopping for backpacks and ipod covers.
Alex Montana Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 12:23 am
http://twitter.com/luvtxess/statuses/3190544342
The Other Laura Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 12:33 pm
I loved shopping for school supplies – still do! My eight year old could care less. We buy them from the PTO and they’ll be waiting for him on the first day of school!
Traci Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
I remember shopping for school supplies…and picking out my favorite folders…deciding pencils vs pens….all personalized. Nowadays my kids get a rigid list with detailed specifications…. e.g. blue folder with shiny cover and 3-hole-punch insert…along with items that are for the entire classroom. I am actually quite happy that I don’t have to argue with my son over whether or not he can get a particular mass-marketed folder… and that teachers are no longer sadled with the cost of buying extra supplies for our kids’s classroom. Change is good.
JenLo Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
As a kid, we bought the essentials like pens, pencils, paper…the stuff you actually need for school. Then we always went out to lunch–which we loved. Today, there is a ton of stuff that my kiddos can beg me for–most of it totally unneeded. Of course, they love getting all the new stuff as much as I did.
pam Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
The biggest difference is we didn’ t have a list and the teacher had supplies for the most part. They had the paper, pencils, crayons, etc. It was a simpler time but man do I ever love shopping for school supplies!
Lauren Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 1:54 pm
I did the usual, went shopping with my mom for school supplies. My daughter is about to start kindergarten, so I’m looking forward to re-enacting this ritual with her.
Corey Bishop Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
I LOVED back-to-school shopping. The thought of a new Trapper Keeper! I relished every new pencil! The world was wide open for me when I went back-to-school shopping.
Today my kids have a insanely long list (school generated) of things to buy. They have things on their lists that were not invented when I was in school.
Their lists are just list to them. There are no “endless possibilities”. The children just feel entitled to these things. I am happy for them to have nice supplies. They fight like Hatfields and McCoys in stores. I have gotten to the point where I never take them with me anymore. The School Supply Fairy brings all the loot now.
Maybe I will get some inspiration from reading the other comments. I wish there was a way for us to bond over back-to-school time. It’s just hard to get jazzed about hand sanitizers and filler paper.
Heather D. Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
‘Back to school’ seemed so much simpler when I was a kid! I think the most important thing back then was who was going to be on your lunch box! Now the kids worry more about special tools and supplies. I never had to buy a pad of graph paper in elementary school but my kid does!
Amber Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I think it is way more complicated now. I went shopping for new clothes, but the supplies and “needs” just seem so much bigger now. Maybe because I am the mom now??
ShaRhonda Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Ritual Differences! There definitely some of those after almost 20 years, my Mom never watched me get on the school bus and off! I remember getting maybe 3 pairs of shoes, my DS gets 1! (cost) School supplies, I used pencil and paper, what’s up w/ all these colored folders? Well, times have changed!
ShaRhonda Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/The4Crows/status/3198387778
Win an Acer Aspire Laptop Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
[...] good folks at Mocha Momma are giving away a cool Acer Aspire laptop as long as you enter by August 31st. // Click here to cancel [...]
Spoodles Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
We always went back to school clothes shopping, which was more torture than ritual. Since we’re homeschooling, we don’t have to worry too much about that. We just replace clothes when they need replacing, and don’t worry too much about trends.
Spoodles Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/Spoodles/statuses/3198560315
Spoodles Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
Blogged here: http://spoodles.wordpress.com/2009/08/08/acer-timeline-giveaway-6/
Carrie T Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
Our family always got ready for school by buying school supplies.. oh how fun that use to be, but now my daughters school offers WRAP packs .. Pre order at end of school year for the next year and you get everything you need.. LOVE it! It is sooo easy.
Stephanie Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
Unfortunetly, every year my ritual was a stomach full of butterflies and dreams of showing up naked! Now that I am a teacher (7 years this year), I still have those nerves and crazy dreams! All my sweet son needs this year for preschool is a sturdy pair of play shoes.
Christina Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
I remember my Mom having to write my name on my backpack, etc with marker and having to redo it every now and then because it faded. When I sent my daughter to preschool, I went online and ordered these nifty labels that don’t wash out, don’t fade, can be applied to basically every surface and look great! Our new ritual is to get those labels and apply them to all of her school supplies, sweaters, etc before the first day of school. She enjoys seeing her name on all of her new supplies and I get to fight back tears thinking about how big she is getting!
KimberlyOR Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Got to give it a go! I really *need* a laptop for my kids this fall.
Hah, hah! I homeschool my six kiddos (ages 16, almost 14, 12, 10, 10 &
so this could be fun.
Let’s see….
Back to School for me
vs. Back to School for the kiddos
ME: New school supplies (remember the smell of that new box of Crayola’s?)
THEM: Why do you need new school supplies? The old ones are still fine and no one will see them anyway.
ME: New alarm clock with a differnt alarm sound so that I could drag myself out of bed at 5am to get a shower and make the bus stop in time.
THEM: What’s an alarm clock?
ME: Cafeteria lunches served by old ladies in hairnets.
THEM: Homemade lunches served by old Mom with love.
ME: The latest and greatest new clothes K-mart had to offer.
THEM: The latest and greatest new pajamas the thrift store has to offer (who needs school clothes?)
ME: A new backpack to lug loads of books to and from school.
THEM: “Dad, Mom needs yet another book shelf added for the collection here at home.”
ME: Excitement on that first day when we got to meet new teachers and friends.
THEM: “Oh, you again?”
ME: “Bummer, summer break is over.”
THEM: “What is summer break and why don’t we have one?”
ME: Technology was a new scientific calculator (that is actually thinner than a brick) and 15 minutes on an Apple IIe at school.
THEM: Technology is a new *graphing* calculator and an Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6415 laptop at home (one can dream and enter, right?)
I could go on but you get the picture.
Thanks for the opportunity to enter!
Carolyn Ritter Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Back to school rituals for me were very different from my kids. We went shopping for supplies only. As homeschooling parents, we went shopping for supplies and textbooks with our children.
Jeffrey Willis Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
As a single dad of a 16 year old with ADHD, my back to school rituals mainly consist of trying to convince his teachers to work with the learning plan, especially the use of his music with headphones when the teacher’s not talking, believe it or not he gets A’s when the teachers let him use it… and gets sent to the principle’s office for not staying on task when they don’t… but some are still stubborn. *sigh*
Cathy N Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
I had a trapper keeper and pencils. My kids have 90 million matching accessories that are somehow supposed to make their learning easier. Hmm…
Zukppr Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
walking vs carpool
typewriters vs computers
waste vs green
Julia Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
My son is overwhelmingly looking forward to the start of the new school year.. I on the other hand hated the thought of that very much…we both love the new school clothes.. and new supplies.
Miaelkaye Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
When I was in school, it was necessary to have those three-prong folders (one for each class), a backpack, a lunch box, simple calculator, and wooden pencils (#2 only). My parents bought new school clothes & shoes and we had to go to bed early the night before school started.
Nowadays, my kids need a bookbag, money for lunch, a TI graphing calculator, mechanical pencils (still #2 is used). We still do back to school shopping for clothes and school supplies, and my kids are given a week to adjust to going back to school.
Miaelkaye Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/Elkaye/status/3200515842
Katie Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
You’re supposed to have a ritual? Hmmm, who knew, because we never had any as kids. My parents just were counting down the days until they could get rid of us! I’ve started a ritual with my kids of spending time baking something for their teachers the day before school. They love the creativity, personal attention, and making their teacher happy on the first day.
Susie Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:22 pm
My kids are still young and at a small school, so I feel like they get excited about going back as much as I did. Even though it wasn’t always fun, I’m sad that my kids aren’t experiencing riding to school on a bus. They have the luxury of being picked up and dropped off at the door by a Honda mini-van. I’ll have to remind them that I had to walk a mile — uphill both ways — to the bus stop each day the next time they complain about carpool!
carolyn Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
I’m a middle school librarian. My kids and I spend the summer in total meltdown – no schedules, sleeping too late, staying up too late, irregular meals. Total meltdown. So, our back to school ritual entails getting our sorry behinds back into the swing of things before the first week of school. We start setting the alarm clock, going to bed on time and generally behaving so that we can avoid complete system shock when we have to get back on schedule. It is challenging.
kristina Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:56 pm
Biggest difference? Hand sanitizer and bleach wipes! NEVER had to buy hand sanitizer for personal or official use when I went to school! Guess that makes me old. ))sigh((
Heather Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
This fall my son will start preschool, so we are just getting in to the concept of start-of-school rituals. I think one we will definitely carry over from my childhood is the special new outfit for the first day of school. It’s a classic, right?
Jess Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
I think the only ritual I really had growing up was that my mom would try to get us to go to sleep earlier each day starting a week ahead of time. It NEVER worked, especially the night right before school started when I was too excited to sleep.
I don’t have any school age children yet, so I’m not sure what I’ll do when the time comes.
Celeste Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
Well, I don’t have any kids yet: but what I would always do growing up is that I would lay-out 5 outfits WEEKS before school started (for the first week of school) LOL
But, once I have my own kids – I hope to start new traditions with them!
Susan T Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
The only ritual I had was getting a new outfit for the first day of school. The only supplies I needed was a 3 ring binder, some loose leaf paper and pencils. Now I purchase a long list of supplies for each child and none of my children are interested in new clothes for school. And I snap a photo of each child in front of the house before they leave for the bus.
carla Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:21 pm
My husband and I don’t have children yet but my favorite back to school ritual was shopping for new clothes and school supplies!
Stephanie Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
I remember buying a pencil box, when we got my package of school supplies at the store, when I was a kid. I LOVED putting everything inside that box. It was really special.
My daughter uses a pencil case, but, somehow, it just doesn’t hold the same attraction for her, as my pencil box did for me. Oh, the times, they are a changin’.
Kismet Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
I loved buying new lunch boxes at back to school time. Now I home school so there isn’t one!
~K!
Chakolate Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
My autistic grandson gets a tour of his new school and/or his new classroom each year. We also try to introduce him to his new teacher(s). Knowing what’s coming helps him stay calm.
Chakolate Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
http://chakolate.livejournal.com/61164.html
Mamacita Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
Mom made us wear saddle oxfords, too. She always wanted them when she was a kid, and never got them, so she made us wear them, and they weren’t in style then. Sigh. She also made us wear plaid skirts when all the cool girls wore plain ones. We got new pencils, pens, paints, erasers, clay, and notebooks, which I loved and used to sniff as though they were bouquets of flowers. I still do that, but please don’t tell anybody.
I just sent my kids back to college. They went with microwaves, refrigerators, tv’s, DVD players, toasters, stereos, and better computers than I’ve ever had.
If I had my own laptop, maybe I could be cool, too. I know I’d be ecstatic.
Suzy Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I remember decorating my locker before my sophomore year. It had never been necessary or desirable before that. Why did I suddenly need to have a cup suspended by a magnetic clip to hold my pens? I carried a purse at all times except in gym when I didn’t need a pen. It didn’t matter. Every year at good old BHS, we went the week before school started to decorate the inside of our lockers. It must have been a precursor to decorating dorm rooms. My son? Well, he probably still needed to clean his locker out from last year. He’s not type A like his mom…
Aarika Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 9:44 pm
I have to say one more thing about graphing calculators! When I was in high school, that was the height of technology but now it’s laptops for everyone. Crazy.
Abby Said,
August 8, 2009 @ 11:52 pm
Awesome giveaway!! Let’s see a school ritual for me was every night make my lunch for school, NO QUESTIONS ABOUT IT – maybe if I’m lucky buy lunch on my birthday MAYBE. Now kids are assuming to have lunch money and there are online forums to see what your child ate for lunch at school. crazy!!
Tammy A. Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:31 am
My son was asked to bring an ISB stick to school. I remember that computers were HUGE when I was in High school 25 years ago. Things have changed and definately for the better.
Kathy Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 4:28 am
We always bought new Fall clothes before school started. My daughters prefer to wait and buy clothes later in the season when they know what the other kids are wearing.
Les Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 6:08 am
My son took to computers like a duck to water. It was one of the few things that really got his attention in college. He is now a network engineer and loves it. I guess it really was worth it all!
Soraya Yarbrough Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:20 am
We used to go pick out a new metal lunch box to carry our lunch to school. Now the kids get to pick out backpacks. In my day, we didn’t carry a backpack to school until college.
BarbJ Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:39 am
My before school rituals included agonizing over whether or not THIS would be the year that the mean girl in class found someone else to pick on. Nope, never was.
Now that I have children my before school rituals include buying the supplies, labeling every tiny thing with their names, packing it all in their backpacks weeks in advance, and praying that this will be the year my oldest finally finds the bff he so desperately wants.
I’m headed back to school myself and this laptop sure would be a nice addition to my school supplies!
Shelly Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:43 am
I was 1 of 5 children so we never got to go back to school shopping individually with our mother. I only have 2 so I always try to take mine 1 at a time so they can have all my attention.
Sarah G. Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:55 am
For when I was a child, a few school supplies and a lunch box.
For my kids, tons of school supplies (only one of whom is a Hello Kitty fan) and a lunch box.
Laurie Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:56 am
Back when I was in middle school (ok-I’ll date myself-it was the 70’s), research for a school project meant a whole Saturday at our small-town library with limited access to information. This last year, not only did my sixth-grader gather all her research in considerably less time, she also had access to an immense amount of information. What a difference!
RR Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 8:21 am
We have ‘back to school night’ at our elementary, so it takes some of the jitters out of the first day of school. The kids take all their school supplies and get their desks set up. One thing that’s different is that in Kindergarten all of the supplies go into a communal heap. We learned the hard way after my son picked out all his favorite character pencils and Kleenex, then had to give them up.
April Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 9:26 am
I always loved sharpening my pencils right before school started in the fall! My kids aren’t in school yet, but I suspect their rituals will be more techie in nature!
Thanks for the awesome contest!
aprilwoodscary at gmail dot com
April Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 9:28 am
tweet tweet: http://twitter.com/MommyNamedApril/status/3209577369\
aprilwoodscary at gmail dot com
Lyndsay Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 9:51 am
I am currently pregnant with my first child, but I very much look forward to creating new back to school rituals with my kids – and incorporating some that I had when I was a kid!
lisabug Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 10:21 am
I homeschool our daughter, so the differences of how I prepare her now, versus when I prepared as a child are huge! Most of the preparation falls on me…she just has to get her brain back into the school groove!
Melody with twins Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 10:43 am
I mostly remember school shopping for clothes and hoping to get a new pair of NIKEs
Now I just try to shop during the “no tax” week in Augsust, but I still love wearing Nikes!
Melody with twins
Amanda Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 11:24 am
The biggest difference between what I do now (I’m still in school, albeit college) versus what I did when I was in grade school is doing the supply shopping for myself. Although I don’t need as much or as many different things now, I still enjoy back-to-school shopping as much as I did when I was a kid.
Twas Amon Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 11:36 am
I always have to buy new binders and what clothes to buy. I want to win this one!
Heidi T Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 11:43 am
We still buy new clothes and new school supplies. I love the smell of fresh school supplies!
carla Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
kids too young for school, but i still have back to school anxiety each year as face another class of 7th graders. back then and now, picking out the perfect first day of school outfit is a big deal
Gina Hernandez Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
My back to school was always bargain basement basics. We always splurge and get one fancy outfit of her choosing and whatever supplies that she needs. I want it to be fun for her on the first day of school!
Gina Hernandez Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:06 pm
I linked on twitter:
http://twitter.com/kyrasmom/status/3211750496
Gina Hernandez Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
I posted on my blog!
http://kyrasmom1225.blogspot.com/2009/08/for-my-second-post-i-am-trying-to-win.html
mamabird Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
I used to love getting new pens and pencils – all the required stationary – when it was a few weeks before school started. I’d look over them all the time and reorganize them to see that it was all there. My daughter is only 7 months old and so I don’t have anything to do with her but my niece is entering kindergarten in september and is concerned her princess lunchbox might be too baby-ish since she is a big girl now. I’m hoping to find a new lunchbox for her and send it.
mamabird Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
http://ruralcatharsis.blogspot.com/2009/08/who-wouldnt-want-to-win
I posted about the contest.
Carolyn Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
When I was getting ready for school as a child my mom always took me too get new saddle shoes. Now my kids are asking for Hannah Montana sneakers. Where did I go wrong?
Mimi Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 1:32 pm
Back to school time is pretty low key when I was growing up and we follow that tradition for my daughter. As my parents did we get back into the school bedtime routine about two weeks out and we buy all of the supplies in early Aug when the fliers advertise the sales. Other than that we don’t really have a routine.
Melissa Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
My girls aren’t in school yet, but I always picked out a new outfit weeks ahead of time. Our school district here is year-round so there’s not the same excitement for “back” to school, as sometimes it’s just a 3-week break between levels!
Erin Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 1:51 pm
I don’t have kids of my own, but I have 160+ kids as a middle school teacher. My back to school ritual is to buy special pens at Staples, that will make grading “fun.” It used to be getting new school clothes with my mom, but now I usually just get one new outfit.
Leslie M. Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
One thing I noticed that is different between my daughter and me.. I would get all dressed up for the first day of school. I would wear something so Gorgeous! Even in High School!
My Daughter starts her Second year of College this year.. and even though she gets some new clothes and nice things.. darn if she does not go in the first day lookin’ like a Bowery Bum!
What’s up with THAT???
Dear Lord. you only have ONE Chance to make a first impression!!!!
Thanks for a great giveaway!
Leslie
Leslie M. Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 2:46 pm
LeslieVeg left a Tweet
http://twitter.com/LeslieVeg/status/3214118366
Leslie
Bob Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
About 2 weeks prior to school starting we have to move our kids bedtime back to thier “school” bedtimes as they tend to stay up a bit later during the summer. When I was a kid we went to bed at the same time all year round, little later on the weekends but the same all year round.
Billie Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
I remember that my sisters and I only received one new outfit and shoes (except the oldest). The rest of us got hand-me-downs and gently used yard sale items. Hey, there were FIVE of us!!
With my son, it would be unheard of to not have a brand new wardrobe for the first day of school.
Lori B Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
My kids have a different experience than I have, as well, when it comes to “back to school” shopping.
I remember that 2 pants, 2 shirts and new tennis shoes were the order of the day. (Along with the items on the Teachers List, which were MUCH shorter.)
Now – my kids list is 2 pages long, and each item seems to have several varieties. Amazing, huh?
JessicaD Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
My five year old is already somewhat computer proficient, using my laptop for pbskids.org! Of course this means that we’re already doing a tug-of-war for computer time — another laptop would be a wonderful solution! Thanks again for a great contest – Jessica
Michelle Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
Hmmm..apparently, you need flash drives now to be ready for school. It wasn’t like that when I went!
Jeane Gallo Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
We would go to a shoe factory that had an outlet store with ’seconds’. Mom would buy 3-4 pairs of shoes for me. I was the first one to wear white go-go boots to school in 7th grade. Mom made all my clothes, except for underwear, even my coats. I don’t have any school age children.
Brooke Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
Back to school meant a new metal lunch box. I loved getting to pick out my favorite! My kids are homeschooled so there is not lunch box for them! Bonus is that I get to go buy all the new supplies! I love the smell of new school supplies. That never changes!
Carolyn G Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
When we were small my mom would always lay out our outifts and supplies out the night before school started. She also always took us out to dinner the night before. I would do the same ritual now
NoDramaMama Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
As a product of the Catholic School Syaytem, my ritual was new uniforms, socks, etc. and the required list of stuff from the diocese. BORING!
What I have done for both kids when they reached their teens was have a “Back To School” get together at our house the weekend before school starts. This has been a great way to get the kids back together before school starts and avoid some of the awkwardness that can happen after not seeing their friends for the summer.
Tracey Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
I think our rituals are about the same for now-new shoes, new clothes, backpack, lunch box-CHECK! I think their supply list is a bit longer, though.
Stacey Hood Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
Although things have changed throughout the years between the time when I went to school and as my kids head off to HS and the 3rd grade respectively…one thing remains the same, the somewhat ill-feeling that they’ll get their feelings hurt, not make new friends, be made fun, get into fights, etc…
But as I’ve learned to let go and be supportive of them, the rituals have basically remained the same as it was for my parents and me.
Marly Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
Our supply list was short and bought at a local dime store (remember those?). My children’s supply lists are long and I order through the PTO at school. The supplies are labeled and in the kid’s desks on the first day of school
Jennifer Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
We always had to pack lunches… now I literally click through paypal and can add money to an account for my kids to buy their lunches. It is SO not cool to pack anymore!
bogartg Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
The best thing about back to school was picking out a new lunch box. Could you beat the Partridge Family? These days, my kids love picking out just the right backpack.
simone Said,
August 9, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Ahh the good ol days when you bought pens and notebooks instead of stylus’ & netbooks. I remember begging my parent’s for a TrapperKeeper – I don’t think the kids would be caught dead with one now. Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
Caroline Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:38 am
I had tons – all of my childhood rituals involved consumerism and lots of money to feed that pursuit in a short period of time. My kids are homeschooled. Their routines are very different. We do a lot of school shopping throughout the year, so the consumerism isn’t as evident, but it really is still present. We do make as many of our projects from materials we have at home, but inevitably we need paper or pens or journals or that shiny new binder. Different, but kind of similar in the end, I guess.
karen Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:02 am
School supply shopping for me when I was a kid used to involve new clothes and shoes too. My kids just continue on in their summer wardrobes at school. Then, when winter comes they get their new clothes!
Katie Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am
My ritual was NERVES! I hated the first day of school. Although my boys are a bit nervous, they seem to go with the flow so much easier than I ever did!
Janet Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:18 am
Buying new shoes, picking out school supplies, and lunch out make for a fun day and gets everyone thinking about school again.
Janeen Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:32 am
One last trip to the swimming pool!
Rini Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:50 am
When I was a kid, school supply shopping meant one trip to Walmart, a school supply list from the front of the store, and a bucket of generics – which we’d mark with a sharpie as soon as we got home.
For my kids, school supply shopping means a solid six weeks of treasure hunting! Sunday mornings, we hit CVS for the free-after-ECB sales, then perhaps a quick stop at Walgreens for cheap fill-ins. After church, we’re off to Staples for easy rebates and penny sales. (We got a $40 backpack for my daughter FREE after rebate – and it came with a lunchbox even!)
Dynila Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 9:31 am
I miss school starting in the Fall. The weather used be a little cooler when we started school. Of course, I also went to elementary school on the East Coast where Fall and Summer were not one continuous season the way they are in Texas…
I chose to put my girl in a school that requires uniforms, and I wonder if she’ll hate me later for missing out on the big back-to-school clothing spree many of her friends experience.
She, poor thing, doesn’t have any rituals–except maybe having to spend a Sunday trying on every single uniform piece she owns to find out what we can donate to the uniform drive and what still fits. To be fair I have to add she HATES this ritual.
lol. Now you’ve got me thinking about what kind of new ritual we can create to make her not dread BTS quite so much…
Win An Acer Aspire Timeline Laptop At Blog Her | Win With Deanna Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 10:06 am
[...] by entering at all of the participating blogs – Bacon Is My Enemy, Busy Mom, Deb On The Rocks, Mocha Momma, Owlhaven, Petroville and Scrutiny By The Masses. Ends on August 31, [...]
mary Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 11:39 am
I always loved back to school shopping as a kid. I loved arranging everything in my pencil box just the way I liked it. I loved picking out my shiny new lunchbox- dukes of hazard, strawberry shortcake, smurfette! I love being able to relive it all over again with my own kids too!
mere Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 11:54 am
I loved going to the store to pick out just the right portfolios, I could spend an hour in that one aisle. My kids aren’t interested in that stuff, they’re more concerned about getting just the right shoes!
Telima Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
My kids aren’t old enough to be in school yet, so we don’t have any rituals yet. I remember doing the whole “back-to-school” shopping, getting fresh notebooks, new shoes, a whole new set of mechanical pencils…everything like that. It seems to me that kids need a lot more stuff these days for school, but I guess I’ll find out all of that it a couple of years. =) Great giveaway! Thanks for the chance to get a new laptop!
beth s Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
Poor Bugman’s back to school ritual for the last three years has been a Birthday Breakfast. Hoping they change the schedule before he’s old enough to not like school on his birthday.
Julie Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
My daughter is in kindergarten, so the tools are the same– crayons, pencils, erasers, rulers, etc. Our routines are the similar, too– trying to pry my daughter away from her younger sibling long enough to remind her how much she enjoys her “reading and math games” (reminds me of my kindergarten mornings long ago). The only difference is that my daughter doesn’t need to ride the bus to get to the kitchen table (we homeschool)!
Keryn Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
I guess the biggest difference for me is the huge amount of supplies the school requests you donate. Notebooks, paper, pencils, markers, thumb drives, copy paper, ink cartridges…I think that when I was in elementary school, we donated a box of tissues and that was it!
volcanoATgmailDOTcom
Rachelle Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
I would have to say that the back to school rituals for the basic school supplies are the same for my daughter as they were for me. I, however, had an older sister and wore hand-me downs. My daughter has the luxury of buying new or new to her from a second store. Other than that, I try to keep it simple. If it worked for me, it can work for her. Sure, we can make life more complicated and complex now, but we don’t HAVE to. And I choose not to, or to let her contribute towards the purchase if she wants more than the bare minimum. I think it’s good for her. Builds character.
Lindsay Ireland Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
My daughter is only 4.5 years old so we don’t really have any back-to-school rituals just yet. She did just start pre-k today though and we took a picture of her for her scrapbook and to share with the family. A new laptop would help us share those pictures.
When I was little, my parents did always take pictures of us on the first day of school but back then we actually had to develop the film and mail the pictures out.
Katherine Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:43 pm
My back to school ritual was always a shopping trip with my grandma to buy a pretty dress for the new school year! Kids back to school ritual is hitting up the thrift store to buy new old clothes! LOL!
Katherine Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:44 pm
Tweet! http://twitter.com/ktkatherine/status/3235910667
Naddez Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
My back to school ritual was going clothing shopping for school when I was growing up. And I loved laying out my clothes the night before the first day of school. My children love to shop for clothing as well as school supplies.
Naddez Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
Tweeted @ http://twitter.com/Naddez.
Sarah @ Small Slice Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:59 pm
Our back to school ritual includes buying new clothes, underwear, shoes, backpack, and other supplies. It’s usually last minute and usually a pain in the neck!
Mocha Momma » Updates in an Updatey Way Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
[...] have barely done any promoting of the laptop that Acer is helping me give away to a lucky reader (and commenter – you have to comment to be entered) and the comments are [...]
Adriennevh Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:51 pm
Here is my tweet http://twitter.com/Adriennevh/statuses/3238163065
Adriennevh Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:53 pm
I can give you 3 generations of different. WHen I went to school, we needed nothing, the school provided all. WHen my kids began school, they needed everything (and now with my kid in college, he needed an external HARD DRIVE as part of his supply list) and with the grand daughter starting preschool in a couple of weeks, she just needs a backpack and a lunchbox (And really, she doesn’t NEED either one, but who can resist her?).
When I was a school secretary we were a year round school, so we didn’t enjoy a summer without kids. Sigh.
Amanda Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
I can’t really enter, but in the spirit of back to school…here are my past and present back to school activities.
http://www.myramblings.ca/?p=173
Anna Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
Back to school rituals? I loved getting all of my new school clothes when I was younger. My daughter is too young for school, but I look forward to the day when we can go get her all her new fall clothes for school!
Jenni Saake - InfertilityMom Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
Like you, we had the traditional back to school shopping for clothes, shoes and supplies. As homeschoolers my kids have “box day,” the day we open those huge boxes I’ve been order all summer full of brand new books and excitement. They then decorate their own boxes where they will store their finished papers and projects all year long and we take “back to school pictures” and make a fun breakfast and/or lunch together to celebrate the start of a new year.
Jenni Saake - InfertilityMom Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
Posted about your giveaway at http://infertilitymom.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-quest-to-win-laptop-computer.html
Deanna Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
Back to school shopping for clothes, shoes and supplies has not changed MUCH since I was a kid except for the cost and style! The thing to have when I was a kid was a Trapper Keeper (do they even make those anymore?). Now the thing to have is a cell phone (starting in elementary!). :O My kids are attending the same schools I attended and some of the same teachers are still teaching (I guess some things never change!).
Deanna Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
I tweeted about the contest – http://twitter.com/deanna_j/status/3233833881
Deanna Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 11:05 pm
I blogged about the contest – http://www.winwithdeanna.com/blog-contests/win-an-acer-aspire-timeline-laptop-at-blog-her (Mocha Momma is mentioned!).
elembee123 Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
This is so awesome! I am really enjoying all the trips down memory lane as well as the mentions of things that were popular way back when. Anyone remember Ditto pants/jeans? Or the Goody comb in the back pocket of your Jordache jeans? Good times, good times! LOL
When I was in school, my mom (also a single mom and teacher) couldn’t afford to get me all the neato clothes and accessories that all the cool kids had. Instead I got my 6 foot tall cousin’s hand-me-down clothes for my shrimpy not quite 5 feet tall self. Thank God she did have the Dittos and Jordache jeans, or all would have been lost!
The one thing my mom wouldn’t skimp on was shoes. Each and every year through junior high, my mom would buy me one pair of “waffle stompers” (hiking boots with a waffle tread), and a pair of the most ugly boat shoes ever for PE (now sometimes called gym). I’m not sure if they were called boat shoes because they were safe to wear on a boat, or because my feet were so big it looked like I was wearing an SS Titanic on each foot.
In reality, the boat shoes were Keds, waaay back before Keds were popular, and also long before the company actually had a design team. There was one style, two colors: blue with white rubber trim around the perimeter, or white with blue rubber trim around the perimeter. And the rubber trim? At least 1 inch wide, maybe wider? It was like wearing whitewall tires on my feet.
When my kids were in school, I made sure they had at least two or three outfits of their choice (within reason, of course), and then they could pick out their own backpack or binders/folders. We’d make a day or two of it and try to make it as fun as we could. Throughout the year, I would also be on the lookout for things from their school-supplied list: tissue, pencils/pens, crayons, etc.
The one thing my kids both remember as their albatross? Saltwater Sandals. (I find it amusing that it goes back to shoes again.) They’re fairly indestructible and when my kids were young, they came in one style and a few colors. So they each got a pair early in the Spring, which then lasted them clear through the start of school.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that they confessed to me that they hated them! I had no clue!
Anyway, I always smile when I see a picture of my kids in their sandals.
Thanks Mocha, this has been fun!
Lara Said,
August 10, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
My back-to-school ritual was all about buying new clothes. (It still is, in fact.)
Kids today are still about buying new clothes, but they’re usually ugly clothes. Like that Miley Cyrus commercial where she’s pimping out her WalMart clothing line? What kind of disgusting-ass outfits ARE those? Blech.
Los Angelista Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 12:47 am
I lived for new pencils when I was little and now with my sons it’s still all about school supplies! I absolutely love getting a new box of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils for my sons. They don’t get the hype but I tell them they’re the best pencils ever! For them, it’s all about a new, cool backpack, preferably with an action hero on it.
I wish I could say it something about back to school clothes shopping but since I was never allowed to pick my own clothes till I left home and went to college I was never enthused about the stuff my mom chose for me. She might as well have wrapped me in a burka.
Judy Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 5:02 am
As a kid, driving to the big city to shop at Sears 150 miles away. Today shopping on line.
Lori C Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 5:40 am
I just remember the back to school shopping trip with my mom. I don’t really do that with my girls. They are not as concerned about having new clothes for the 1st day of school as I was. To them it is just another day………
Eileen Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 6:02 am
I remember having an outfit picked out for the first day…probably a week in advance. And organizing everything in a brand new purse. AND brand new notebooks….I still love a new notebook. With my son….no purse for him, but back to school is much different now that he is in college.
Laura Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 7:25 am
I remeber the outfits had to be new that first week. We spent hours getting just the right, clothes, socks, shoes, etc. ready. My son wears a uniform, white polo shirt with school logo, navy shorts. In the winter the polo shirts are long sleeved and he wears pants. Not very exciting. One of those times I wish I had a girly girl.
Catootes Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:38 am
The smell of new pens, new notebooks, and backpack. I loved new school supplies. I suppose that might be why I’m such a pen and journal whore still.
Oh well.
My son wants to make sure he has the cool sneakers and that he knows who is in his homeroom. Supplies? He could care less.
A new laptop would come in handy as we will contantly be juggling computer needs with a middle schooler, a high schooler and me being a new school board member trying to figure out how to help the district the most.
Carolyn Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:52 am
The main difference between my back to school rituals and my daughter’s is the great variety of prints and patterns of the school supplies! I had solid colors and the traditional marble notebook and the 3 ring binder with the plain blue cover. She can practically design a school supply wardrobe of notebooks, binders, folders etc.. It is fun!
Carolyn Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:54 am
http://twitter.com/auntzeezie/status/3247402447
Tweeted
Carolyn Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:59 am
Blogged your giveaway!
http://wannawinforweesie.blogspot.com/
ana-maria Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
back to school shopping was the best, when else can you get so excited about new pens and binders?
Jackie Hall Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
My mom shopped for new clothes and supplies for me. My husband shops for my son’s shcool supplies. He already has his clothes because he goes to a private school. The brand new clothes you wash once and they look used so he uses what he has had in years past unless he grows out of them.
No real ritual other than I take his school picture every year…this will be the last one because he is a sr…. I am sad.
Tara Hill Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
When I was in school, half the fun of going back was the day we took a trip to get the school supplies I wanted! Now they send you a list of things you have to get. I’m sure it’s very helpful, but it takes a little of the fun out of it!
Tara Hill Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
http://mamahill.blogspot.com/
Blogged there!
amber Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
Growing up I used to have to sit down for a full breakfast, then i had to grab the bus. Today the kids want quick breakfasts they can take out the door, and most times they carpool with friends to school instead of the bus or walking.
Thanks so much for the giveaway! I’m starting college again this fall, and this laptop would be so helpful.
amber Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:04 pm
I tweeted the giveaway:
http://twitter.com/lipstickncandy/status/3258131668
Brandie Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
There were 5 kids when I was growing up, my poor mom used to buy all the supplies. I think the thought of dragging 5 kids through the store was just unbearable. The one tradition that she and I had was clothes shopping since I was the only girl. I know that I horrified her with my preppy clothes, grunge and then punk!!! Today, I take my 2 kids shopping and with lists(there are 3 since I’m in school too!!!) in hand we methodically go through and hopefully get everything; I’m delusional we never do!! I take my daughter clothes shopping though, sometimes with my mother(she is still horrified)
Marie Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
My most memorable back-to-school shopping trip was the one right before 7th grade. My mom got $20.00 out of my dad to spend on clothes and supplies for me. We went to Zayre in Springfield. Among other things, though not a lot, I got a button front green striped short-sleeved cotton mini dress. (This would have been the first time minis were in style.) I thought I was so hot in that thing.
Weird thing, even though my girls are grown and out of school, they still want me to buy school supplies for them. LOL!
Thank you for the chance to win this computer. You’re wonderful!
karenM Said,
August 11, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
With 12 kids in my family while growing up, there wasn’t much of any tradition, we had a lot of hand me downs, but our parents did manage to get everyone new crayons, paper and pencils.
I enjoyed taking my kids shopping to pick out the school supplies and a date for lunch, I shop now and pick up basic supplies for the grandchildren and take them out too lunch before school starts.
karenmed409(at)comcast(dot)net
Sisterlisa Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 5:58 am
Well I certainly didn’t have a Starbucks to stop in at on the way to school. Now they’re everywhere!
)
lisa422 {at} gmail dot com
Andrea Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 8:16 am
My rituals were the same as everyone else’s, just at the last minute. I don’t remember shopping early but rather, just before school started. My earliest memories of school shopping came in the form of loving accessories more than the clothes…in first grade, my dad had to take me shopping (my mom was pregnant with my sister and due any minute) and I begged him to buy me all dresses with accessories…a chain belt, a purse, and a tremendous green and white, large-checked dress with a fabric belt. Next memory, getting my mother to buy me a horribly sweaty green polyester scarf to wear knotted on my sweaty neck in 8th grade. What was I thinking and why are both memories about green clothes?
Anyway, my girls are going back to pre-school next month and my new back to school traditions, it seems, will be shedding tears knowing that they’ve grown another year and are ready for another milestone long before I am.
Thanks for hosting the contest. I could use a new computer and enjoyed thinking about those early traditions from so many years ago!
Daria Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Like everyone else, I went with my mom to one store and bought new clothes…winter clothes that I couldn’t wear until it got cold months later. I totally remember that icky stomach feeling of dread weeks before school started. I don’t really have any traditions with my kids, yet, since they are only going into 1st grade, but I think I’ll cook popovers again like last year. They are so yummy and special.
Miss Monky Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 11:20 am
When I was a kid, the only thing I had to have was paper, a pencil, and a pen. We always got one new outfit just for the first day and a new pair of shoes. My 6 yo nephew told me last week that this year he has to make sure he has enough snacks to feed his entire class once a month! Then he added that he needed new ear buds, a new calculator, and maybe a new watch so he would know when it was time for art class. At 6 he is already WAY more organized and busy than I was at any point before college!!
Tracy H Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
One of my favorite rituals was going to the mall to buy new shoes at Thom Mcann. My girls still get new shoes but they come from Zappos and they are sparkly!
Flossip Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Growing up my mom and I had a special back to school shopping day. when my kids are in school, I hope to take a day with each of them.
Sabrina D. Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 1:51 pm
I remember having a plastic lunch box with thermos for a drink, no one used ice packs–only the rich kids had those (early 80’s) so everyone had pb & j and sometimes in the winter you would have soup in your thermos and a ssips juice box…now she as separate compartments in her insulated lunch box or hot and cold food plus insulated bottles for drinks and hot foods…
Alexa Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
for me it was all about the paper products. My girl is too little for school, but my hubby’s little sister is 12 and for her she’d like it to be all about the electronics. MP3 players, cell phone, etc… Sadly for her she breaks things all the time, so nothing new for her. She’ll have to embrace the new notebooks like I did.
sara Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
i used to envy the kids who got to take their lunch to school. I REALLY wanted a lunch box, but my parents made me eat hot lunch at school. Now I let my boys pick out a new lunch box every year and I make their lunches every single day so they don’t have to eat cafeteria food!!
Karen Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
When I was a kid, the Trapper Keeper was as expensive as it got. Now they have calculators that cost more than my first car.
Maria Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 6:02 pm
i tweeted!
http://twitter.com/mariadonahue/status/3276775442
Maria Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 6:07 pm
we both like going to the store and picking out new school supplies (well, office supplies for me). I love love love it and so do they!
Bev Watts Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
What I remember most, and now cherish, are the fights. My kids never agreed with anything that I wanted to do. Shoes had to be more expensive, never on sale. The same with the pens. Both are going to college this year, so I have no more rituals. It really makes me sad.
Mocha Dad Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 9:42 pm
My mother gave me money for school clothes and let me buy whatever I wanted. My only warning was “You can buy one item or you can buy several. The choice is yours.” After that speech, spending $50 on jeans didn’t seem so wise.
Monique Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
What I remember most about back to school shopping was the clothes shopping. I mean, yeah, we also went to go get paper, pencil, folders, etc. but clothes shopping was a whole day affair with both my parents (and siblings). We had lunch at the mall. We picked out clothes for each other and fought over who would get the cool shirt that me and my sister wanted. Then when we got home we had a fashion show. We would try on all our different outfits and model them. But alas, I have one son (so far) and I don’t see him modeling for me. Plus, he’s less than a year old. I guess I have plenty of time to think of something.
Beth Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 5:53 am
My routine usually took place all or mostly in one day too, with my kids it seems to start when the school supplies come out in the stores and I try not to look at them and my kids nag me till we go spend a million dollars on school supplies and new clothes, oh well, we really don’t need food this month lol
MelanieMarie Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 6:04 am
I’ll take the pink sticky notes! Maybe my lust for back to school supplies is why I covet sticky notes! I don’t have any kids so there are no more back to school rituals for me (thank goodness!). I remember as I got older I needed more expensive calculators and my parents being horrified at how much they cost.
Glory Words Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 7:48 am
Oh, as with anything technological, my kids definitely know more, but I certainly appreciate it more than them
Marilynn Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 8:06 am
I always loved going to school to pick out my new trapper keeper! Now my grandsons aren’t even allowed to have them at their school – just those wired notebooks.
Seth Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 8:34 am
For me, back to school was pretty standard fare. Paper, pencils, scissors, glue, whatever. Now, with my daughter, it is quite a bit more involved. Luckily she’s young enough that many supplies are pooled together so the seemingly endless name writing isn’t so bad. Of course, we also have to do the shoes and clothes so she can be “stylin’”
she Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 10:54 am
As a child, my mom taught 2nd grade at the elementary school I attended, so we pretty much went “back to school” together. She and I always went shopping together for a first day of school outfit for both of us. She also took a first day of school picture every year of my younger brother and I. Now that I’m an adult, although I don’t have any kids, my best friend and I are taking her oldest niece shopping for a first day of school outfit. One generation blending into the next into the next . . . Times may be more modern, but some rituals are golden and tried & true!
she Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 10:55 am
bloggity blogged: http://www.shebecameabutterfly.net/?p=4420
Jamie Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
I don’t remember my back to school rituals– my son is just beginning school and we are buying him a fish, so maybe his ritual will be to feed the fish every morning?
Jayne Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
Is anyone else old enough to remember the slide rules? Today the tool is the calculator.
CrystalGB Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
We always went shopping for clothes, shoes and school supplies every year. It was exciting to get all that new stuff. Kids now don’t get excited about getting new stuff for school.
Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
Krissy Carr Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
I don’t remember my mom ever spending as much money as you have to now adays. With the cost of supplies and all the ‘in’ fashions, it gets crazy & hectic!
I am happy though, that I can buy my children nice clothes and not the stretchy things I was made to wear lol…
But it’s all about cost! Everything is so much more expensive now!
Krissy Carr Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
I sent a tweet out!
http://twitter.com/BarefootMomma/status/3293915122
TheAngelForever Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
I remember going with my mother close to school and shopping for all of my supplies. We would go out to lunch and get everything and some new shoes/clothes as well. My son is going to first grade and does not care too much. He will accompany me shopping, but no real input. We are going to start a tradition of doing something extra fun the week before school starts – bowling, mini-golf, park, swimming, and seeing friends.
Maricris Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:23 pm
This is making me feel an antiquity. PC was just being introduced when I was in college – yes college! But this is in Asia so don’t prejudge my age! LOL. I feel like a caveman( sorry Mr. Caveman) compared to the gadgetry available to my kid today : laptop, MP3 players, TAG readers, talking books – NEVER had that when I was little. I hope I win this, I NEED a new laptop for my small biz. If you want to know, my laptop is being shared with the little one and she has already caused some “damage”.
Maricris Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/MaricrisG/status/3294310389
@MaricrisG
Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6415 | Barefoot Mommies Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
[...] Deb on the Rocks Busy Mom Bacon is my Enemy Scrutiny by the Masses Owl Haven Mocha Momma What Not BlogHer About [...]
Krissy Carr Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
I blogged! http://www.barefootmommies.com/?p=3884
Rajee Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
I love to purchase school supplies for my 7 years old son in the school itself so that I can have time to enter the contests
Rajee Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
tweeted @momsfocus
erika :: inspired mama musings Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:05 pm
my little girl is going into first grade and last year i sewed her a special new outfit for the first day of school and another for the last day (kindergarten graduation!) and plan to do the same this year and every year after until she refuses to wear mama made clothing any longer!
Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6415 : Mom's Focus on Cyber World Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:05 pm
[...] Deb on the Rocks Busy Mom Bacon is my Enemy Scrutiny by the Masses Owl Haven Mocha Momma What Not [...]
Rajee Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
I blogged here http://momsfocusonline.com/acer-aspire-timeline-as3810t-6415.html
Anna Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Back to school rituals? Hmmm… I don’t have any clear memories. I’m sure we bought some clothes and whatever school supplies we needed, and I’m sure my mom looked for the best deals possible. That’s pretty much the same as our back to school rituals now – buy everything on sale, whether we need it or not. Last week I bought two packages of pencils, only to come home from the store and find out we already had about 20 million pencils. Still, they were really cheap. Yesterday I bought free pens.
I have a whole stash of school supplies, because when the folder are on sale for 10 cents, I buy lots! The same goes for notebooks – and now my kids want the expensive 5 subject notebooks instead of wanting to use those cheap 1 subject ones. Oh, and this is my sons last year of high school, and next year, for college – this laptop is what he’s going to need!
Anna Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
Blogged and linked – http://www.alwaysbcmom.com/2009/08/win-laptop.html
Anna Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:33 pm
and tweeted – http://twitter.com/bcmom/status/3295399304
Peggy Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I, like others who posted here, am a hand-me-down kid; the youngest of 4. Getting ready to school was going thru clothes and supplies to see what the older kids needed and pass down what didn’t fit to me. it wouldn’t have been that bad if my sister had better taste, but she picked the weirdest clothes. I also had my brother’s hand-me-down musical instrument, the saxophone, which I had to play cuz we already had it… i would have preferred the flute. But it has worked out as I have passed that very saxophone on to my friend (the Anna before me in these comments) Anna’s son, who has been very happily playing it for several years now. I don’t have kids, but if I win this laptop you could make me his favorite person in the whole world as it is going to him.
Elizabeth Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
The clearest back-to-school memory I have from childhood is of going shopping for what my Mom called “school shoes”. They were brown with laces and usually made by Bass. We had to take them off the minute we got home from school and put on our “play shoes”, those I don’t remember, oddly.
My boys will only wear athletic shoes to school, and I buy them at Payless. Or Kohl’s, if there’s a good sale. I’m also positive my parents didn’t have to buy Kleenex or Clorox Wipes or Purell for my teachers, oh how times have changed in classroom budgets. Thanks for the fab giveaway!
trish Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
Then: Loved picking out a new lunch box with handy dandy oh so cool matching thermos.
Now: Putting money on son’s school lunch debit card
Christine Fay Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
My son is not in school but I do have many cousins that are current students in k-5 schools.
There are SO many different things! The computer is the big thing, we had to do RESEARCH IN THE LIBRARY, kids!!
So archaic, right?
I also studied first, then watch tv for an hour (if that long!) and then played outside, rain or shine.
Now, it’s totally different and it’s a shame. Kids don’t go outside, they sit in and watch TV and play their video games.
That’s unfortunately a HUGE difference in ritual.
Also, posted at my blog!
http://faybird.blogspot.com
Kirsten Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 6:47 pm
When I was very young my parents would take us camping close to the beginning of school. Our last hurrah!
Christine Fay Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 6:50 pm
Back to school ritual… I went shopping in my sisters closets… now they go online or to the nearest store
hey, it’s tough being the youngest!
Also posted on my blog!
http://faybird.blogspot.com
denice p Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 7:27 pm
school ritual then would be we waited a few weeks before school would start and get everything super cheap.
school ritual now would be still do that but use technology ie. the computer to find where the better back to school sales will be.
denice p Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
i tweeted.
http://twitter.com/doozercries/status/3299549925
courtney Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
I was always so happy to go and get pencils and notebooks (paper) now everyone is getting Notebook Computers.. I never even had a cell phone in highschool! Times have changed!
susan Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 11:28 pm
Surprisingly, we still have a lot in common. Buying school supplies and that special outfit for the first day of school is something we still enjoy doing. However the school supplies seem a lot more high tech like jump drives and fancy calculators! And we always have the first day jitters ~ that hasn’t changed too much either.
susan Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 11:28 pm
Tweeted ~ http://twitter.com/susanlanai/status/3303150118
Jennifer Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 7:44 am
My children LOVE to school shop. I did too. It’s a great bonding experience for our family. It’s always nice to do something that the kids are excited about.
Jill W Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 8:52 am
My mom took 1st day of school pictures of us every year in our new outfits (and I had my roommate take them for her when I was in college, too!). I need to find them all to make a collage – that would be so cool! Anyway, I also had to have a new trapper keeper (weren’t they the best!) and I loved pens. My daughter is only 2, so no school for her yet, but I am definitely going to keep up the 1st day of school picture tradition with her!
Jill W Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Blogged here: http://tinyurl.com/lfcaoh
thanks!
Jill W Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 9:35 am
tweet, thanks! http://twitter.com/idahojill/status/3310593112
Rory Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 10:47 am
Let’s see…. I had notebooks, pencils, calculator, and a set of World Books.Now my son has notebooks, pencils, pens, calculator and a wikiapedia. Very different world!!
Thanks!
Tiffany Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 11:11 am
About a week before school, we would go and pick out all of our school supplies together. The backpack and lunchbox were the two items my parents would splurge on. We could get any one at any price.
I’m usually pretty thrifty, but this is the one thing I still allow my kids to buy at full price!
Here is where I blogged about the contest:
http://anunhingedlife.blogspot.com/
Betty Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
My needs were mostly new clothes. My kids have long supply lists that must also be purchased. suspect my mom spent less on everything I needed then what I just spent on a backpack with a laptop sleeve in it.
Betty Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
tweeted
http://twitter.com/bettycd/status/3321494581
Aimee W. Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
I was all about getting my Trapper Keeper, notebooks, and cool new pens and pencils. Pretty simple, huh? Well, not the case for my two daughters. All of their back to school supplies MUST be eco-friendly and made from recycled materials. Now, this I agree with. However, the amount of “necessary” electronics astounds me! In the past, they had been sharing one laptop. But now that my youngest is entering 4th grade…that no longer seems possible. Both girls have been presenting their case on why they each need their own laptop all summer long. Times are tight…so winning this giveaway would be a life-saver!
Aimee W. Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 8:49 pm
Tweet: http://twitter.com/Nelsby/status/3322213343
Thanks!
Christina Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
I homeschool, so almost every ritual I had growing up is tossed out the window. The only one that I do that is the same is buying school supplies like paper, pencils and crayons. No new school clothes, no packing lunches (or picking out lunch boxes), no driving to school a week beforehand to find out which teacher you had… So far both of us are happy.
Carolyn Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 8:46 am
http://twitter.com/auntzeezie/status/3329588453
TWEETED
Kwana Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
My old back to school rituals are very different from my kids now. I remember being so much more excited about back to school shopping and organized about it. Now my kids seem so much more whateves about it. There is no more holding out and waiting to wear something until school starts.
They do enjoy getting the supply list with me which is nice and setting up the notebooks. I’m glad that that ritual still holds strong.
Kwana Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
Here is my tweet:
https://twitter.com/KwanaWrites/status/3333412360
Best,
Kwana
the slackmistress Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
I went to junior high in the early 80s, at the height of the Trapper Keeper. ALL I WANTED WAS A TRAPPER KEEPER. The Cool Kids(tm) had Trapper Keepers, and for awhile I was convinced that all that stood between me an popularity was the right school supplies and a preppy outfit (more on the latter on my most recent blog post.)
SlackMom refused to purchase a Trapper Keeper, instead insisting that I could do just fine with a canvas three ring binder and a five subject notebook. She said it was “exactly the same.”
And I was NEVER popular.
Coincidence? I think not.
(The coda to this story is that whenever I’m writing on a new show, I always utilize a three ring binder. But that’s because I can’t find Trapper Keepers in the office supply cabinet, and the EP’s assistant refuses to order me one. When I am an Executive Producer, I am insisting on 100% compliance with Trapper Keepers.)
Slackmistress? This right here is some funny stuff and you actually make ME want to have a Trapper Keeper. Can I work for you, please?
Carolyn G Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
The days before school started my mom would set up a table in our room so me and my sister could lay out our supplies. It was so cool because starting weeks before my mom would buy us stuff here and there. And then my grandparents would buy us stuff. So we would lay everything out and look at it. It was like christmas.
Carolyn G Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
tweeted https://twitter.com/carogonza/status/3333861803
Carolyn G Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
http://theartofrandomwillynillyness.blogspot.com/2009/08/win-intel-laptop-at-these-sites.html
Blogged
Annette D Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
Back in the olden days (according to my kids I’m as old as dirt) we bought new clothes for school that looked new. My kids only want jeans that have holes in them and look like they are as old as me! We also looked forward to school starting….my kids NOT!! We enjoyed buying school supplies, my kids are you kidding! Times have changed!
The Jacobsen Family Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
For me, it was shopping for clothes, and having to have the perfect trapper keeper and folders (usually had to be the Lisa Frank ones!!). My oldest is only 5, and we homeschool, so he’s really doing nothing that we used to do. He doesn’t need new cool clothes, backpack, pencils or anything like that. What we do need his grammy usually buys for him!
The Jacobsen Family Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Blogged! http://ourjacobsenfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/9-different-giveaways-for-acer-aspire.html
CMC Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Back to school shopping and preparation was pure HELL when I was a kid. My mom didn’t drive (still doesn’t) so we either had to take the bus to the nearest mall (totally embarrassing!) or wait ’til my dad was able to take us on the weekend, which was even worse. Oh, that, and I was a fat kid, which made clothes shopping even more torturous! I loathed August each year as the days crept closer to September. My boys are nine and three, but they have it WAY better than I ever did! I drive, for one, so mall shopping (shopping at all, really) is the norm for them. They are both normal-weighted, so anything they want from the rack will fit them (provided their sizes are available.) Plus, they have WAAAYYYY cooler clothes for kids now than they did when I was their ages. No more plaid Toughskins (BLECH!) They don’t realize quite how fortunate they are – or maybe the problem is that I DO!
lace Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
They don’t make trapperkeepers anymore do they? I loved getting to pick out my new trapperkeeper. It took me ages to find the right one. I’m sure kids just use folders or even laptops to organize and store all the info they need.
Jeremy Pepper Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 5:09 pm
A) Saddle shoes are back in style, for guys. Adidas Originals had a pair this past season, for like $200. Shoulda gotten them, but I hate wearing shoes.
B) You telling me, all these years at BlogHer with you, I shoulda worn my Hello Kitty shirt, or brought my HK pens? Who knew you were a Hello Kitty fan.
C) Our ritual was going to KMart, because it was Detroit and that’s where everyone went for school supplies. Picked up a big pack of notebooks, got a Trapper Keeper, a couple reams of paper, pens and pencils, some crayons and White Out. At least, that’s what I seem to remember. Tons of big notebooks – private school, we wrote a lot.
If I win, can I give it to one of your school kids? Yep, TOTAL suck up.
bridget3420 Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 5:23 pm
My mom would take me school shopping and we would have a mother-daughter day. I don’t have kids.
bridget3420 Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
tweet
http://twitter.com/bridget3420/status/3336394023
Jeankfl Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
I just remember loving to buy new notebooks! I’ve always hated clothes shopping.. Mom would have to bring them home on approval!!LOL But, I love clean neat new notebooks, paper, and the joy of a NEW LUNCHBOX with BARBIE or someone on it!!LOL
hugs,
Jean
Joanna Price Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 7:08 pm
My child is only 7 months =)
My mom used to make cookies on the first day of school for us when we came home (I’m sure she made cookies lots of other times, but I remember specifically always the first day of school)
For a number of years my mom used to take me and my best girl friend to Mall of America for back to school shopping!
Joanna Price Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 7:08 pm
Tweeted- http://twitter.com/joannagiveaway/status/3337800169
Joanna Price Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
Blogged- http://pricemommysense.blogspot.com/2009/08/giveaway-monday_11.html
Annette D Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 8:13 pm
Posted on my blog
http://abdoggett1.blogspot.com/2009/08/still-another-laptop-giveaway-httpwww.html
Arin Said,
August 15, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
Back in the day we each had our own school supplies labeled for our own use…now we buy the same list of supplies but the class shares all of the supplies-no labels or worrying about what brand is cool…like definitely a trapperkeeper was totally hip along with a michael jackson peechee folder
DG Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 12:36 am
we always got a list at school but kids these days just go in with everything ready to go in their bookbags. I guess they get started on the first day with the schoolwork without the expected meet and greet!
linda smith Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 6:38 am
Great giveaway!!
I know that the supply lists are MUCH longer now than they were when I was in school!
Melissa @Mel4Him Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 7:02 am
The back to school rituals that I had growing up were shopping for a few new pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts along with a pair of sneakers. My mom would take us to the store pick out a few things that we liked. Of course, when we got older it was a trip to the mall with friends. lol. I don’t ever remember needing school supplies in elementary school. Then when I got home I would admire my new clothes. lol. And try to decide on which pair of pants and which shirt I was going to wear on the first day. Back then mostly ever kid had on new clothes for the first and second day of school.
For my son, well, he just wears what he has unless he needs something. If he needs clothes my first trip would be Goodwill then Wal-Mart but usually he is all set with the exception of sneakers. I usually always buy him new sneakers because he needs them. Then of course there are school supplies. We take the list and go shopping for those.
Carolyn Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 10:31 am
http://twitter.com/auntzeezie/status/3346906932
TWEETED
Brendon Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
My wife is a teacher, so what I see today is ridiculously increased-in-proportion spending in the same things it took to get me back to school when I was a kid.
It used to be that my mom and I would go to Target/Gemco (at that time) and would pick out pencils, a pencil bag, erasers, a notebook, TrapperKeepr and a backpack. We would then go to J.C. Pennies and I would get a new pair of shoes, a pair of pants and a shirt or two. That was it! Nothing more and it usually fell on the less-side of things.
Now I watch as kids whose parents are sometimes below the poverty line walking in with a single day’s wardrobe with a value greater than three of my business suits, and some sort of designer back pack, all in the name of keeping up with the other kids.
Generally it seems as my generation and that prior to my generation have passed on their vain, self-promoting, narcissism to their kids and now the first day of school has become a fashion show. Unfortunately that leaves parents broke and teachers having to report kids for lewd clothing -or lack thereof in some instances, and a year of kids not pulling their attention away from other kids in order to learn.
Gary LaPointe Said,
August 16, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
I always loved getting new tennis shoes for school. Actually, I still love wearing never tennis shoes.
Well back when I was a kid you had to beg to get a teacher to let you use a calculator. Now you’re expected to get the right calculator with SO much power you probably could have used it as the on-board computer for the Apollo missions to the Moon!
cris Said,
August 17, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Back to school changed from year to year (good money year vs bad money year). We always had new shoes and usually a new bag.
Now we do a quick trip in July (!) to stock up on school supplies (elementary school). This year we’re also stockpiling soccer shorts and socks since practices start 1 week before school starts. They’ll live in their summer clothes until it snows (and even then at least one of them will want to wear sandals)
Tracy Said,
August 17, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
My sons’ back to school rituals are not that different from what mine were. Two weeks before school starts, we do all the clothes shopping. One week before school starts I change the bed time/curfew from the summer routine to what the school routine will be so they can acclimate before school starts. Unlike me when I was in school, they do not care about their school supplies so throughout the summer I purchase the supplies I know they will need and then will finish once we receive “the list.” 2 – 3 days before school it is time for haircuts.
Tracy Said,
August 17, 2009 @ 1:21 pm
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/FlourChild2006/status/3368087226
JoeyfromSC Said,
August 17, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
ell, when I was in school, it was “cool” to have the metal lunchboxes with various characters/t.v. shows on them!! When I was raising my brothers, they would not have been caught dead with one lol..much less a paper bag lunch haha
I was actually talking to someone on twitter today about the Trapper Keeper! Remember that notebook? We thought we were SO COOL or one of the rich kids if we had one lol
If you’re a teenager, I think you should also work and help pay for your school clothes, especially with the price of “name brand” clothing!
JoeyfromSC Said,
August 17, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
That should have began with “WELL” lol-sorry
here’s my tweet about your giveaway:
http://twitter.com/JoeyfromSC/status/3375626179
editdebs Said,
August 18, 2009 @ 11:04 am
I think the most important ritual for my son is school shopping, as it was for me. We both love going into the store to buy new pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks. As a child, I didn’t really need that incentive–I loved school. I couldn’t wait for it to start. But my son isn’t as devoted as I was–so school shopping always helps him get in the mood. Now that he’s starting high school, a laptop would be a great incentive!
Carol Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 3:55 am
The biggest thing I remember about the first day of school was the night before. I never had the foresight/discipline/parent order to shift my stay-up-late summer schedule beforehand. So I was up even later than usual summer bedtime because of nervous anticipation. First days always were experienced through a haze of tiredness. I also remember the walk to school, I walked to elementary school and high school, as being crisp and cool — strange sensations for someone who hadn’t been up that early in the morning for two months!
We did some clothes/supplies shopping, of course, but those weren’t my biggest memories. The ritual of no sleep, early mornings, a new outfit and the kernel of hope that this year would be different — more confidence and friends, less anxiety and worry — marked the transition!
Jamericanspice Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
In my time, I would only get new books and unforms. we’d still have to wear our old shoes and backpacks and it didn’t matter if they were tattered. We did not get driven to school or ride in a school bus. We had to take taxi (depending on how far away from civilization you lived) and / or take a regular country/city bus to school. You better get up early enough too to get their on time because the bus does not wait!
We did not have new textbooks. You’d rent at the library or walk around and borrow from neighbors.
In this time with my kids, they get to go shopping with mom and get all things new and ready for school. They also get to ride a school bus or be driven to school. They get new textbooks etc.
Milcah Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
As of right now my children are still quite young; 7 and under so our rituals aren’t very different now than mine were coming up then. I do homeschool my children. I wasn’t homeschooled until 10th grade.
JODI Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
No rituals here. Breakfast/brush teeth/bus. But I don’t remember long school supply lists when I was a kid. And we didn’t have backpacks.
samuel Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
It was not as organized when I was young. You just got what you needed- pencils, erasers, paper, and stuff. If you did not have it the first day, you could get it later. Now, it is so organized with lists and kids can even buy a prepackaged box with all the supplies and have it ready for them when they arrive at school.
Jill Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
Well, no kids here, but back in the day, it was all about the new school supplies and clothes. Much more fun than school itself!
In Due Time Said,
August 19, 2009 @ 10:59 pm
http://in-due-time.blogspot.com/2009/08/back-to-school.html
I blogged about this. No kids yet, so I can’t say what rituals we’ll have, but probably something similar.
samuel Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 3:14 am
Tweet. http://twitter.com/samski21
The Mom Jen Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 9:46 am
My oldest daughter who is almost 11 is required to have a flash drive with all the rest of her school supplies! Her end of the year project for 5th grade was a power point presentation. Long gone are the days of book reports and state histories!
The Mom Jen Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Tweet! http://twitter.com/themomjen/status/3430455923
The Mom Jen Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 9:51 am
Blogged about it here, http://www.themomreviews.com/2009/08/acer-aspire-timeline-laptop-computer.html
Angela Bailey Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Every year I loved to go back to school shopping with my mom at the mall and pick out my own clothes. My 9 yo son on the other hand could care less. He said to me this year “Why do I need new clothes for school anyway and I already have shoes.” Most parents would call this a blessing but I do want him to look decent. I was buying him a Reds shirt at Walmart the other day and he said that since we were already there we might as well buy all his school clothes there. Fantastic!
Angela Bailey Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 9:56 am
Tweeted. http://twitter.com/theladya/status/3430700389
Kristy Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 10:32 am
I was a Catholic school girl, so back to school meant trying on uniforms, driving to the houses of older girls for hand-me-down uniforms and trying to find earrings that would express “me” past all the navy blue and plaid. Mom went out alone and bought all the things on our list, maybe from a grocery store or Peoples Drugstore.
Today, I’m bombarded by Back-To-School Sales ads on TV, in the paper and in 10,000 emails. We inventory the clothes my stepdaughter has now and try on everything in the winter clothes bin. Hand-me-downs go to donation. I comparison shop for the best deals on school supplies – never at a grocery store! I establish a budget and then shop with the little girl, repeating the budget and our list her many times as she counters with repeating words like “cool” and “want” and “more”. When the budget is done, we’ve confirms I’m “So. Not. Cool.” and my title of “Meanest Parent Ever” is still safe, we check out and go home.
Jessie Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 10:33 am
All of our back to school rituals are pretty much the same! We both got/get excited about back to school shopping – clothes & supplies, take photos by the door with our first day outfits, and have a good breakfast before the first day. I love bringing my old rituals and traditions into our family now.
XOXO
samuel Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 11:37 am
Here is my blog link entry: http://buzaroundtown.blogspot.com/
Lee Ann Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
The difference between school then and now is: Then I had to get dressed and ride the bus to get to school. Now I just get up in the morning, stay in my jammies and turn on the computer…waa laa…I’m at school. (I take online classes through the local university.)
A new laptop would be wonderful as I complete my degree.
Vicki Andrew Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
Mine was going to the tea room with my mother while we took a break from cloths shopping. Today my teenagers like thrift and vintage cloths, no tea rooms for them
Nichole Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
Last but not least, was weeding through the JCPenney catalog for all the clothes I WASN’T going to be bringing home because we couldn’t afford them. Fast forward to age 32: having a blast scouring yard sales and consignment shops for the greatest brands and labels we love for a fraction of the cost, all the while picking up great treasures you’d never find at JCPenney!
hminnesota Said,
August 20, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
I studied in India, and we went to private schools there(public school system is for really poor people). Back to school was fun, and we had to buy many more things, but that was just a year around process not one time shopping. No back to school sale also there. Here is a different “season”, and I really enjoyed it for the first time since my eldest is starting Kinder garten this year!!
Val Pearson Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 7:21 am
Rituals back then were school clothes, paper, pencils. NOW, they are Flash Drives, computers, cell phones and clothes. Someone should have told me how expensive it was to send a kid to school!
Val Pearson Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I blogged about it here!
http://lastnervescontests.blogspot.com/2009/08/acer-laptop-giveaway-ends-aug-31_21.html
Val Pearson Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 7:22 am
I tweeted about it here
http://twitter.com/lastnerve2000/status/3450439262
Kelly Hamilton Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 9:42 am
My back to school ritual was always going clothes shopping. It had to be done at least a week ahead of time so that I could plan out the first weeks worth of clothes.
My son’s ritual is to get his hair highlighted before school. Just some tips, but enough that he feels that he is cool. He is 12 and this is his 3rd year–I don’t think he’ll ever stop.
Milcah Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
http://twitter.com/comefollowme/status/3464742792
Milcah Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Blogged: http://humanchristian.blogspot.com/2009/08/really-hoping-my-persistence-will-pay.html
Alexis AKA MOM Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
Ok I was a weird kid a week before school I would go to bed early to prepare … LOL I know I told you I was a dork.
Now my oldest wouldn’t even think of that heck I can barely get him to stay in bed ..
Michele C Said,
August 21, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
Thank you for the generous giveaway! When I was a child we didn’t have a computer like we do today! We used paper, books, pencils, calculators, etc. to do our work and if we wanted to do research, we’d go to the library.
Today, the technology is amazing and the children have access to a variety of ways to do school work. A computer is a huge need and time saver for school work to be done.
And then brings me to school supplies and clothing. When I was in school, paper, binders and pencils were required but, now we have to purchase EVERYTHING including tissues, sanitizer, paper towels, etc. Clothing? We would have maybe 1-2 new outfits or a few clothing items from garage sales. Kids today seem to be expected to have an entire new wardrobe for each new school year. I personally don’t do this as I cannot afford it. I’ll get each one of my children a new outfit, socks, shoes and a couple shirts. I try to buy clothing as they grow out of them or wear theirs out.
Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6415 Giveaway - Ends - 08-31-2009 Said,
August 22, 2009 @ 12:32 am
[...] http://www.mochamomma.com/back-to-school-laptop-in-tow/ [...]
DarcyO Said,
August 22, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
My mom would take us on the Greyhound bus to the next town over, which was bigger and had discount stores, to go back-to-school shopping. My daughter shopped at the MOA and didn’t stop in the discount stores. She also needs a whole lot more supplies for school than I did. I brought my lunch to school in a brown paper bag and she’s got a cool insulated lunch bag. What a lucky duck! I’d love to win the laptop for her. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Amber G. Said,
August 22, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
I do not have childerne but an an adult student, returned to college after a 15 year haitus. I have noticed that because many of my classes are online I do have the morning ritural to deal with as I did as a child, but I do have much better studying habits! Thanks for the great opportunity to win such and invaluable piece of equipment!!!
karmakaytlyn@yahoo.com
Roberta Harwell Said,
August 23, 2009 @ 10:19 am
My mother and grandmother raised me and we had one ritual that sticks out. I was allowed 5 outfits. They had to approve of them. Kids today don’t seem to think this is cool parents needing to approve of their clothes. Thanks for the contest. Have a great day.
Judy Bradley Said,
August 23, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
I had to work hard to buy school clothes from junior high on but I did not do that to my kids. I believed in them learning to earn things, but I was the parent to provide for them, if they wanted something beyond our budget, we talked about it and worked it out. Then there are the electronic things, and computers, I never needed them, now I would like to win this one!
Jennifer Said,
August 23, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
I remember being excited about getting to pick out half a dozen different colored folders. And really my girls are about the same! We homeschool though which makes it a bit different–and my girls are all still pretty young.
Tamara B. Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 9:10 am
I had a set of the good old encyclopedias and a Webster dictionary. Today my childen have all of the possible resources at their finger tips with having access to computers. If only I had a computer back in the days I would have been a scholar.
Prizes for Writers: August 24, 2009 : Bizzia - Business News and Commentary – Finance and Business Tips Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
[...] Aspire Timeline Laptop at Mocha Momma (ends [...]
Becky Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 1:31 pm
My favorite ritual was going back to school shopping for clothes with my mom and finding that one special outfit for the first day. My daughter is not old enough for school so no rituals yet with her…
Kalani Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
A good little consumer- I love back to school shopping— It’s all tied up w/ newness and fresh experiences- but I also love a good pen! My son is too young yet- but I do look forward to the back to school preparing… If not the spending that seems so part of it!
Ashley Mott Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
I blogged about the giveaway:
http://miscmayzee.blogspot.com/
Ashley Mott Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
I also twittered:
http://twitter.com/miscmayzee/status/3529722272
Ashley Mott Said,
August 24, 2009 @ 10:56 pm
My back to school ritual involved trying to milk my mom for a Trapper Keeper even though I didn’t need one…ironically trapper keepers are back just in time for kids today!
Jamie Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 7:06 am
I only have furry kids that don’t go to school! But when I was younger my mom would take me sneaker shopping. I loved having a brand-new, shiny pair of sneakers for the first day of school.
Mel Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 8:46 am
My back-to-school ritual always included eating a huuuuuge hot breakfast my mom prepared me so I wouldn’t be hungry before lunch. I don’t have kids yet, but my future kids will surely be getting thsoe huge breakfasts come their first days of school!
brandy p Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
As a teacher one thing that strikes me as so different currently from the past is the age old tradition of the parents meeting the teacher at the beginning of the school year. Now instead of exchanging telephone numbers for cases of contact we’re giving each other email addresses and personal websites. It makes it easier sometimes to be able to contact a parent so swiftly by email and you usually get a quick reply but what about the old “face to face” contact?
Other than that I still think a lot remains the same. The kids still get just as excited over pencils, erasers, folders and crayons as we used to when we were kids
brandy p Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 10:07 pm
I follow on twitter: twittelyp
Amanda H Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 10:45 pm
I used to love school supply shopping so now even though we homeschool, I take the kids to pick out new school supplies before we start a new year.
Sarah Lehan Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
Long, long ago…. (about 50 years ago) my mother would take my sister and me to get new notebooks. Now when I’m taking a class I have to get a new notebook. I will enjoy having a new Acer notebook for this year. Thanks for the contest.
Sarah Lehan Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
tweeted slehan: http://twitter.com/slehan/status/3551515656
Sarah Lehan Said,
August 25, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2009/08/lets-get-new-laptop.html
laurie Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 6:08 am
my kids have backpacks and more supplies than i did. i just had to have notebook and pencils, now they have to have notebooks and pens and pencils and staplers and markers, and alot more. thanks
Ashly Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 7:22 am
My favorite part of back to school was definitely school supply shopping! Loved getting new folders, pens, etc and organizing all my stuff into a new backpack.
My daughter isn’t school aged yet, but as a parent I think I’m kind of dreading school supply shopping – lol. Just seems the lists are filled with an overabundance of unnecessary and excessive items.
Carol Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 9:01 am
Well, for one thing, I NEVER got an enormous list of school supplies my parents had to buy. It’s out of control! My kids also wear much more casual clothes then we ever did for back to school, so in my childhood, Back To School shopping was an arduous ordeal, and we bought a ton of dressy clothes. My kids just need new jeans and sneakers. My kids are also technologically savvy, and in my childhood, we didn’t have computers, so my kids use electronic/computer gadgets for school and I got excited about was freshly sharpened pencils! Thanks for this fabulous giveaway!!!!!
Carol Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 9:01 am
Tweeted http://twitter.com/cdziuba/status/3558840665
Carol Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 9:02 am
blogged http://ceeceeblogger.blogspot.com/2009/08/acer-laptop-giveaway-83109.html
Christine Jensen Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
I remember ALWAYs having to have a 3 ring binder and my kids have yet to need one (and the oldest is in 4th grade!)
Spencer Spellman Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
At the beginning of each semester in the fall and winter, I was given $40 to buy a new pair of shoes that would have to last me to the next semester. I spent a lot of time at Payless and in the clearance racks. It’s hard to believe now since my last pair of shoes was $80. With children now, they often still get new shoes before school, but they often try getting several pairs throughout the year, with few of them costing less than $100.
Spencer Spellman Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
I blogged about this contest at http://www.spencerspellman.com/1/post/2009/08/increase-your-traffic-and-page-views-with-a-giveaway.html
Night Owl Mama Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
When did preschool become a prerequisite of kindergarten. I remember starting off with Kindergarten when I was little. TOday my children do 2 yrs of preschool that cost big $$. My mom said school used to be practically free besides the lunches we had to pay for which was $50 by the way compared to the $5.00 a day that it cost me now.
Now I see why some opt to home school their children. the prices go up for things anymore we won’t be able to afford to send all our children to school we’ll have to pick and choose which ones get to go.
Night Owl Mama Said,
August 26, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
http://twitter.com/Nightowlmama/status/3574511248
I tweet
Delaina Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 7:21 am
Back to shool for me was more about new clothes than anything else! These days it seems to be more about electronics and a LONG list of supplies.
ndanger Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
The BtS ritual always involved buying school supplies (pencils and erasers!) and new shoes. I definitely didn’t have a computer!
jessica Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
I take my kids out for ice cream every year on the first day of school.then we take silly pictures while we wait for the waiter to bring out treats.
We had to buy uniforms for 2 of our 3 kids this year. boy was that an expensive treat. But I’m glad for them. It makes for much less drama in the morning for my 2nd grade daughter.
Rikki Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
My mom never packed me a lunch, so it’s fun for the kids and I to pick out lunch bags and what to put inside!
Susan C. in NY Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
My DD is entering 3rd grade, so we are still getting the regular supplies–pencils, erasers, folders, paper and comp books. I don’t remember having to take as many supplies to school though, maybe the schools provided more for the students than they do now?
Always had to get new tennis shoes each year, and that’s stayed the same.
Ofelia Bacaro Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
I went to Catholic school in the 60’s and 70’s and our back to school rituals revolved around going to the uniform store to get fitted for our uniforms…we hated it! My kids hated their ritual of going to Walmart for cheap supplies…rainchecks were especially reviled:)
tiffani heser Said,
August 27, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
20 years ago, things were definitely different. Going school shopping for my siblings and I meant going to Mervyn’s to spend the whopping $100 allowance we each had to buy school clothes for the year. As well as heading to the shoe department where we each got to get one pair of sneakers. (I usually opted for the KangaROOS with the secret zipper pocket on the side). As far as school supplies, my mom usually picked up what we needed: crayons, pencils, paper, etc and then we got to go pick out a new Trapper Keeper!
Nowadays, my teenage daughter spends weeks scouring the mall for the outfits that are going to ease her into each new day with a smile (HAHAHAHAHAHA, as IF)- or at least clothes she feels confident wearing. And the “budget” for her clothes far exceeds $100.
The biggest difference that I notice between her and I is the freedom to choose. When I was a kid, the choices were pretty much made for me and now, I try to let her express herself through clothing, hair color, and accessories. I’m not saying that one way is necessarily better than the other, but the differences are night and day.
Mary Morgan Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 2:56 am
I had to get “new shoes” and maybe socks and underwear. But coming from a family of 8 there was a lot of handme downs. But the first day of school was the only day we didn’t aski mom for “5 more minutes ofsleep”
My kids, are up two hours early, dressed nicely, and ready to go. They need to have so much more than we did.
kelsi Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 6:08 am
my mom always had us lay out the clothes we were going to wear the first day of school. i hope to pass that one to my kids.
also walking us to the bus stop every morning!
Delaina Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 9:00 am
I tweeted about this!
http://twitter.com/home
Delaina Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 9:40 am
I did a blog post on this!
http://www.meaningfulmotherhood.com/
Delaina Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 9:45 am
Check out my blog post on this at http://www.meaningfulmotherhood.com/
shawn Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
Back to school Rituals havent’ changed too much. I think I spend more money these days buying clothes & I think they want way more school supplies than I needed as a kid. I think that moneys the biggest change. Besides that I am lucky enough to stay home with my children. My parents both worked & my Aunt was our babysitter. My children can sleep in longer.
shawn Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 8:04 pm
Tweet:http://twitter.com/shawnmh/status/3617905189
Lindsay Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
Every year we got to buy new backpacks. It always made me look forward to the new school year. My mom would take my brother and I out and we would pick the “cool” bag for the year. I remember when I got a messenger bag and I thought I was the coolest thing since sliced bread. Oh the small things in life that made the day as a kid!
Lindsay Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
Here’s my tweet http://twitter.com/Lstixrud/status/3618631021
Lindsay Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
I posted the giveaway on the blog http://colitascorner.blogspot.com/2009/08/acer-aspire-laptop-giveaway.html
Alka Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 1:02 am
Prices for everything have definitely changed a bit – used to feel like everything was so much cheaper and charged for less things like field trips or events.
Alka Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 1:02 am
Blog posted http://beenamommy.blogspot.com/2009/08/blogher-acer-aspire-head-of-class.html
Alka Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 1:22 am
tweeted http://twitter.com/spalka/status/3574753088
Betsy Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 7:49 am
The computer is the biggest tool my kids have that I didn’t have!
Betsy Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 7:50 am
http://thehomeschoolway.blogspot.com/2009/08/laptop-giveaway.html
Blogged!
Dillon Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 9:32 am
We always went camping the weekend before school started. This was a really nice way to unwind and relax before school starts, plus its kind of a last hurrah of staying up late, sleeping in, and all the fun summer stuff before the rigors of school starts. I want to continue this tradition on when I have kids.
Dillon Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Tweet http://twitter.com/Beejax/status/3627803376
Dillon Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 9:54 am
Blog http://beejax.blogspot.com/2009/08/intel-acer-aspire-laptop-giveaway.html
April Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 11:00 am
Love shopping for school supplies. The kids love it too, they love picking out their “own” stuff with their own style.
lisa Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 11:05 am
I enjoyed shopping for clothes and i was always pretty current with trends i also like classic looks and i wasn’t glued to certain name brands or designers, which seems to be the case today.
lisa Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 11:06 am
Tweet: http://twitter.com/samasam/status/3629112006
lisa Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 11:07 am
I posted contest on my blog: http://stephie-stephsblog.blogspot.com/
Daiva Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
My little one is not ready for school yet, however, since I grew up in Europe, the whole school thing will be very different and new to me.
Chris Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
New crayons were our ritual – my kids get new computers!
Tricia Z Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 7:01 pm
Her’s how it differs:
My daughter and I face quite different challenges. I was public schooled and she is homeschooled. I was concerned about new clothes, peers, finding my classes, etc., but she only has to provide the proper learning mindset- I provide everything else! It is better for her, for sure.
Thanks!
Jen Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
Back to school? WHen I was a kid, we dreaded it, but with a new backpack stocked with yellow #2 pencils, black or blue pens, a Trapper Keeper and Walkman, and a new outfit, we were set!
Today, our kids don’t really get the “back to school” concept. We never really stop learning at Best Family Academy, though the emphases shift throughout the year. There’s no autumn rush to stock up on school things, and typically we hit the road for geography and history firsthand. Our laptop gets us out there, and back again. But it’s bulky and lags. A new one would be INCREDIBLY helpful.
mitchell Said,
August 29, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
hmm, i had trapper keepers, spiral notebooks, 3 ring binders and the kids now have laptops and PDAs lol. its pretty amazing i think. thanks! (freaaa@gmail.com)
shel Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 1:53 am
My 13 year old daughter’s school supply list is going to require me to take out a 2nd mortgage on my home; not only is it long, it’s incredibly detailed: listing specific brands, sizes and colors of each item. I’ve already gone to 4 different stores on a search & destroy mission for a scientific calculator.
When I was her age it was a few folders, notebooks, pack of notebook paper and writing instruments. No calculator necessary..we used fingers! A computer and printer is a requirement for many homework assignments; we were lucky if we could get mom to drive us to the library to research a paper. Times sure have changed.
shel Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 1:55 am
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/auntiethesis/status/3642423765
shel Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 1:56 am
Blogged:
http://auntiethesis.blogspot.com/2009/08/inspired-by-acer-aspire.html
Chaya Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 2:30 am
Well, my kids haven’t started school yet, but given that they will be going to school in a different country than the one I grew up in, I’m sure things will be very different.
Heather Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 2:37 am
When I was young, I looked forward to going to “the big city” to do my back to school shopping and get a new outfit and pair of shoes to wear on my first day. Now, we don’t live in the sticks and $14 pair of jeans from Wallyworld don’t seem to cut it anymore…plus we live in the city so trips to the mall happen much more frequently than once a year.
betty rood~starting again Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 5:53 am
When i went to school,I don’t remember shopping for anything but shoes.I wore what ever mom COULD get me.She was a single parent of 4 and things were a lot different theN.I remember wearing those polyester pants,that i so hated!,stripes-yuk..didn’t matter if i liked it or not,that was what there was.The tools needed was some notebook paper,pencils,colors,glue,was there more?lol…
Now we spend a good part of the summer looking for clothes for the grands.It is not so much that we have ruined the kids,but if they are not dressed nice they are made fun of from the go..And that is a shame.The amount spent just to send them is unreal,EVEN IN GRADE SCHOOL.And then you get this PAGE that by the time you get it all your buggy is full!From colors to CLEANING SUPPLIES..:0
yES we now clean the rooms! lol…big change in a few years…The other ritual..When he needs help with homework,it is time to hit the computer..lol..Even my 7 year old grandson is computer savvy! He loves it.
This would be great to win and thank you for the opp.
alwaysatryin at gmail.com
betty rood~starting again Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 5:55 am
nannato5 twittered you
http://bit.ly/1OwEXJ mocha momma! win an intel..ends tomorrow hurry…
alwaysatryin at gmail.com
Greg Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:51 am
We didn’t have Wikipedia when I was in school! Even if it’s not the most reliable source it makes looking things up a heck of a lot easier. It’s an easy way to get info to start from so it would have made my life a lot easier. I had to get by on the encyclopedia.
Greg Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:54 am
My blog about the giveaway http://gstix.blogspot.com/
Greg Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:55 am
Tweet http://twitter.com/Gstixy/status/3648822745
ktanjatk Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
No kids here, but my niece and nephew love to shop for school supplies and to sort and organize their work spaces. Not very different than when I went to school. Having new clothes & backpacks, anticipation to see your friends again, thirst for learning etc. is pretty much the same
The difference is that they have way more cool gadgets today!
ktanjatk Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
tweeted:
http://twitter.com/ktanjatk/status/3652894641
Dawn S Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
When I was younger we waited till the week into school to get our supplies, when the teacher gave us a list, now you have a list sent in the beginning of July, and all sales start at the same time.
Shane Murray Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
My most expensive tool was a graphing calculator, but it seems like a laptop is a requirement these days.
liv Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 5:00 pm
This year, I had the pleasure of taking my son to the uniform shop to buy all manner of parochial school wear for the year. It was charming and sweet to see him off the first day with his new, monogrammed backpack and his school crested shirt tucked into his proper looking navy shorts. The only thing that was missing was a massive school supply list, and that’s when I wanted to kiss the school principal: The school buys all the kids’ supplies before the session starts. I had already paid for it all, and had no extra fooling around in the mayhem of other shoppers! Success!
Rachel Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
When I was a kid, I loved back-to-school shopping – mainly because I loved school. When it became necessary to cover books for school, I loved that too. I would use brown paper bags and then decorate them any way I wanted.
For the past 8 and a half years I have worked as a Vocational Counselor/ Academic Tutor/Art Teacher/ Art Therapist/Surrogate Mommy/etc.for high-schoolers with disabilities. I wish I could instill the same feelings about school in them. I strive for it every year. Back-to-school these days means I have yet another chance to help kids learn to love learning.
Our students come in each year completely unprepared, and we do our best to get them whatever they need.
Christina Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
When I was in school, I showed up on the first day with a notebook, a folder, two pencils and a box of tissues. My daughter was sent a list of supplies she had to have the first day, including glue sticks, hand soap, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, etc.
A lot of those items were paid for by our school system (or teachers were reimbursed) when I was younger. My daughter’s school system is very poor at the moment, and they can’t afford those supplies for the students. And I’d never ask the teachers to pay for them, seeing how teachers aren’t even paid what they’re worth.
angie Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
My back to school stuff was usually clothing related. We’d always get a pair of brown, back to school shoes, ie. hushpuppies, or bass shoes, or was that gass? I can’t remember now. One year I got an unfortunate sweater that had green fringe going around the middle, including under my arms! The back to school clothes always came from Sears.
My children are homeschooled, so back to school for them always involves new curriculum, pencils, pens, notebooks, colored pencils, etc. It is always exciting to crack the new books open for the first time. That excitement usually wears off by the end of the first week, when the children usually have their first test of the year.
Jodi Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
I used to love going to the store with my mom to pick out a new backpack. Now I dread the back to school shopping (just like my mom probably did with me…lol) It all just seems so much more complicated now.
Jodi Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 7:32 pm
tweeted: http://twitter.com/crazeypoet/status/3657669272
Wehaf Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
I don’t have kids yet, but I do still have beginning-of-the-semester rituals – making sure the registrar has everything lined up, that I have enough copies of the syllabus to hand out, etc.
Bella Mia Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
I was the youngest of 4 girls and we were poor so my back to school ritual mostly consisted of “shopping” in my sisters closets. I shared a room with one so my Mom would sit with me and go through their clothes to see what would fit at the time. I was pretty thin then due to a medical problem so the majority of my pants had to be the polyester ones with the elastic waist band. My sisters used to joke with me and say they were going to send away for a butt for me because I had none.LOL Back then I didn’t think it was too funny but now I chuckle about it. My children get a few new outfits and shoes and we always do our back to school shopping at least 3 weeks before school starts so we are not stuck digging through the leftovers on the racks. The “good” clothes, as they call them, are always gone if you wait too long. I also make sure everything is at the door ready to go. All of their supplies are labeled with their names and placed in their book bags so there is no mad rush in the morning. They also get to bed early the night before also. We don’t want any grumpy pants in the morning!:)
Bella Mia Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/MiBellaMia/status/3658710031
Patricia C Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
When I was in school we didn’t get a list from the teacher of school supplies that we had to purchase on our own . Most everything was provided for by the school district. What’s this with the “indelible markers”? Cracks me up, I grew up with waterproof markers.
rajee Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Please delete my first post
When I was schooling, I remembered my mom combed my hair, put me new uniform and packed with lots of books to school by bus. That day was very hard to carry it daily from home to school. Nowadays, kids are very lucky that they only carry homework folder and one book if needed.
Chrysa Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
Just yesterday I was talking with my cousins about the fact that when we were kids there were no School Supply lists. You just got a few new pencils, whatever box of crayons you wanted, maybe a couple folders and that was about it!
Eryn Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
Gotta get that back to school hair cut! I still love getting mine cut this time of year too, September is the time to try a new style!
Chrysa Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
Blogged: http://winwithjinxy.blogspot.com/2009/08/win-acer-aspire-timeline-as3810t-6415.html
Chrysa Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
tweeted http://twitter.com/ThriftyJinxy/status/3660511842
Geoff K Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:48 pm
Oh man, when I was a kid I thought I was high-tech with my fancy Trapper Keeper, graphing calculator, mechanical pencils, and Jansport backpack. Nowadays the kids have netbooks or notebook computers in elementary school, cell phones with GPS and wi-fi, digital tablets for artwork and design, and solar-powered backpacks. It’s both sobering and exciting to see all of the amazing advances that have been in the past couple decades, though I’ll admit it’s comforting that though the supplies might have changed, the traditions of back-to-school (the jitters, the excitement of meeting new teachers and seeing old friends, etc.) stay the same!
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
Geoff K Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/guettel78/status/3660610888
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
Twitter Trackbacks for Mocha Momma » Back To School, Laptop In Tow [mochamomma.com] on Topsy.com Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
[...] Mocha Momma » Back To School, Laptop In Tow http://www.mochamomma.com/back-to-school-laptop-in-tow/comment-page-8 – view page – cached #RSS 2.0 RSS .92 Atom 0.3 Mocha Momma » Back To School, Laptop In Tow Comments Feed Mocha Momma — From the page [...]
Geoff K Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
I blogged: http://slavetoacademia.blogspot.com/2009/08/acer-aspire-laptop-giveaway-at-mocha.html
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
Cindy B in Montana Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
When I was a kid, we shopped for new dresses and shiny shoes to go with our knee socks. We got a package of paper, pencils, colored pencils, and PeeChees! But my favorite thing was picking out a new lunchbox! My kids….jeans, tees, tennis shoes, backpack, fancy binders, paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, CDs, thumb drive,earphones!
Jusitne Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
Things have gotten more expensive for todays child then when I was younger. I remember my parents only spending $50 max on each of us for school supplies and maybe another $50 for clothes. Now the supplies will run upwards of $100, then you have to pay for classes(at our schools, art costs $15, computers cost $15, P.E. costs either $10 or 15), then the clothes, its amess. And even preschool, we wanted my son to be in preschool but just for 3-4 days aweek it would cost us upwards of $500/mo, I know my parents didn’t pay to put me in preschool, and the sad thing is that its almost expected when a child gos to Kindergarten that they attended preschool.
Cindy B in Montana Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
I tweeted this giveaway!
http://twitter.com/sendtocindy/status/3660666030
Jusitne Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
http://twitter.com/SliverStorm/status/3660714414
Jeankfl Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
All my stuff just “appeared” in time to go to school(I hated shopping).. except my lunchbox. I loved getting to pick out my new lunchbox!!
hugs,
Jean
Anne G Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 5:36 am
I didn’t have a lot of back to school rituals growing up. We went shopping for school supplies, and that was about it. I try to do more with my kids. We shop for school supplies, and I always let them pick out a few special clothes. We also try to have a special breakfast on the first day – bacon and pancakes.
Mocha Momma » The Non-Post Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 5:37 am
[...] is the last day for this contest to win an Acer laptop. Enter [...]
jenny Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 6:09 am
We used to walk to school so there was always a flurry of phone calling to see EXACTLY what time we should meet, the route we should take, whose house we should stop at…big BIG decisions!
Now my kids walk to the end of our road, wait at the bus stop and hop on the bus. Walking isn’t even an option.
*sigh*
S Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 6:11 am
My youngest leaves for college this week. Sniff, so my days of buying supplies are mostly over.
however, one thing that is different now from when I was a kid, are the expensive calculators that the kids need and also my friend’s little boy needed a flash drive! He is in 4th grade!
Technology is so different now.
Mommela Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 6:37 am
We just didn’t have too much money coming up, so the back-to-school ritual was virtually non-existant. We always waited to buy clothes until after school started since we wanted to see what the other kids were wearing rather than take a chance and buy something outre and then have it sit in the closet. As for supplies, we were lucky for a box of Dixon Ticonderogas and some new notebooks!
These days, for BabyGirl, we’ve tried to build in some rituals for her. We’ll always buy one new outfit for the first day–this year, she’s all about Ruby Bridges and has a totally cute outfit evocative of what Ruby wore: plaid button-up shirt with a Peter Pan collar, pleated navy skirt, white socks, and Keds. She’s memorizing Langston Hughe’s I, Too to recite (her idea!). On the first morning, we get up early and make waffles for the whole family, and her dad stays home from work late so he can be at drop-off. When he’s in town, her first-dad joins us for waffles, too.
Sandy Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 6:58 am
Back to school rituals – scanning the sales circulars for bargains and trying to get all I need for as little as possible.
Dee Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 7:05 am
Now it seems to be all about the clothes and how you look! LOL..I could have cared less when I was little. I also didn’t have a cell phone or lap top! Now you see kids with cell phones in elementary school!
Beth Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 7:14 am
My computer stroked out on me last night during my fantasy football draft. It’s time for some new technology up in my hizzy.
Lynette Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 7:42 am
Rituals are all same, I wait until the last minute and then we go on a ridiculous shopping spree. Clothes, Shoes, bookbags…I’ve given up on lunchboxes because she loses it EVERY YEAR (another part of the ritual). The only thing that hasn’t been the same over the years is the schools (we move pretty frequently..thanks military!), but everything else is the same. New school, new state, still lazy mamma.
vickie Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 7:59 am
Back to school … new shoes, new clothes, new supplies and the picture taken on the first day in front of the fireplace. Even senior year!
Headless Mom Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 8:06 am
Clothes shopping! Me? I lived in CO and it was sweaters, jeans and boots. Comfort clothes! My kids? We now live in hell, (or Southern California,) so it’s shorts and tshirts. Somehow it just doesn’t hold the same appeal. Sigh.
Anne G Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 8:22 am
I tweeted about the giveaway http://twitter.com/lunaj1456/statuses/3667289252
Azul Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 8:31 am
My own back to school rituals included dread, tears, and a vague feeling of intestinal discomfort the night before.
Since Chico is homeschooled, his rituals are comprised of all of the fun stuff (shopping, planning, etc.), and few trips to the bathroom.
Thanks for the fun contest! We could really use a laptop at our house.
Anne G Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 8:43 am
I blogged about the giveaway http://wp.me/pjj6t-b
Deb Anderson Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 9:10 am
Well, since there were six of us (yes, I said SIX!) my mom would buy those huge packs of notebook paper out of necessity. Then we would meticulously divvy the pages out evenly, making sure no one got more sheets than the others.
Deb Anderson Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 9:10 am
tweeted here
http://twitter.com/tnshadylady/status/3668221615
Danny Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 10:06 am
We definitely didn’t have computers when I was in school! We didn’t even have computers when I got my master’s degree in college. My daughter is getting her master’s degree and she hasn’t written a single paper using library resources. She relies on the computer for everything. It is such a dramatically different experience it just amazes me.
Danny Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 10:06 am
Tweet of giveaway http://twitter.com/DannyRMcD/status/3669291906
Danny Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 10:09 am
I posted your giveaway on my site here: http://dannyrayhastosay.blogspot.com/2009/08/mocha-momma-laptop-giveaway.html
Melissa Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:12 am
The trapper keeper! Mine was green – what a flashback!
Joanna Smith Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:32 am
When I was growing up we lived very close to our schools, elementary, middle and high schools were all within walking distance of our house. It was a tradition that the kids in the neighborhood would walk to school together, we were like small packs of kids (like a herd of sheep) all walking to school with our backpacks, and cute little school clothes on.
Today things are very different. I have 3 children, we live within walking distance of the school, but I will not allow my children to walk or take the bus, I drive them. It is unfortunate, but in order for me to have peace of mind, I must physically see them go into school so I am sure of their safety. There is just too much weird stuff going on in the world today and I won’t risk my kid’s safety! When they are old enough to protect themselves then I will let them walk to school, but they are under the age of 10 and I just need feel at peace when they go to school that they are protected.
I am so thankful that I grew up in a time where a kid could be a kid, and not have to worry about the crazies in the world. But today’s reality for some reason is totally different and so I try and make up for it by carrying on some of the traditions that my mother had with us when I was their age.
When I was growing up my mother always purchased me a new “outfit” to wear to school for each day of the week for the first week of school, that was 5 new outfits! I used to get so excited about all my new clothes that I actually couldn’t wait for each and everyday to start because I wanted to wear my new clothes to school and show my friends and feel special (confident). I am continuing this tradition with my own children today and I find that if I allow them to choose clothes that they think are “cool” and they pass with my approval, then my kids are going to be much more motivated and excited about getting up in the morning and going to school than if I didn’t give them some incentive at the start of the new school season to get going. I also make sure that they always are equipped with their favorite snacks when they go to school to keep them energized, happy and healthy. These may sound like little “things” but it works for us! Thanks so much for the chance to enter.
Joanna Smith Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:33 am
I sent out a tweet:
http://twitter.com/joannaonthelake/status/3670772252
Joanna Smith Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:33 am
I Blogged about this giveaway on my blog:
http://breezylake.blogspot.com/2009/08/mocha-momma-acer-aspire-laptop-giveaway.html
Kristen Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:35 am
my kids should have my mother as a mother. Instead of breakfast bars the first day of school, they would be getting a lovely breakfast.
Rachel K Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Back to school rituals – hmmm…
My son wears uniforms, so my mom & I take him to buy them a month early (tuition is due early), he usually gets a new lunchbox at least (same old bookbag though), all supplies on the list that’s given out the last day of school before summer started) and a giant pack of tissues and antibacterial gel (germaphobes – yes we are).
We take the 1st day of school picture and he even lets me walk him into to his classroom – only this one time all year (he’s going into 5th grade this year, so that could all change soon).
All of this is similar to when I went to grammar school (STA with Sr. Geraldine too!). Uniforms, penny loafers (my mom was fanatical over those – so much so, she still wears them herself and tries to get my son to wear them – no such luck!).
Sara Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
My almost 3-year-old son just started a blend of day care/pre-school today, so we don’t have many rituals established yet. I’ve got some great ideas from the comments of traditions that we could start in the next few years though!
Alimac Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
Growing up it was all about browsing the Sunday ads and circling and checking off my must-have items. Nowadays, I flock to the internet to get the lowdown on deals for my children. I still enjoy browsing a paper now and then (nothing like that tactile sensation of paper between fingers), but the internet is alot greener and faster to boot!
Donna Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 1:04 pm
I went to Catholic grade school and hence wore uniforms, but for some weird reason, we were allowed to wear street clothes for the first week of school. So, of course, we had to have NEW clothes to do this, because wearing those old clothes for that week was just too practical. Plus, since this was Catholic school in the 1970’s, we had to wear dresses, because girls were not allowed to wear pants to school back then. I remember going to the brand new K-Mart up the street from my house and gleefully trying on tons of clothes, and putting the 3 coolest outfits on lay-away.
Our back-to-school traditions with my two boys are a little less complicated. They also wear uniforms, so we end up spending one night (about two weeks before school starts), driving out to the place that sells the uniforms and shoes, then we go window shopping at the “Guitar Center” which is located nearby, and have dinner at a restaurant and we talk about what expectations we all have for the upcoming year. We sure could use the laptop to make this school year easier!
Sam Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
The only back to school ritual I remember as a kid was picking out one outfit that would be the picture day outfit. I think I did that from Kindergarden until senior year.
ahappyhippymom Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
The back to school ritual I had when I was a child was making sure my clothes were laid out the night before (my mother did that) and all my pens, pencils,paper, crayons and other supplies were packed in my bag ready to go.
Jan Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
I have the same ritual that my mom had for me. I drop little notes into my daughters lunch box every few weeks. Sometimes I put a card in, sometimes I put a really pretty bookmark in, when she was younger I would put in some nice stickers for her collection. I know how much this made me feel special so doing this for my daughter is a great tradition that I carried on.
Jan Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 2:50 pm
My tweet for the giveaway http://twitter.com/DJanMom/status/3674383649
Jan Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
My blog posting
http://janmcdsweepsandgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/win-brand-new-intel-acer-aspire-laptop.html
Diane Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
http://www.frufrugal.com/2009/08/31/blog-back-to-school-bliss-clothes-shopping-rituals/
posted on my blog
Diane Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:08 pm
http://twitter.com/FruFrugal/status/3674680533
tweeted
Jeane Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Taking pictures by the school sign is always something I did, and my mom did. Great to compare.
goldone Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
At fourteen I didn’t have to wear a uniform any more so shopping for clothes was a big thing. Next I’d have to say getting my hair done with a fresh haircut was pretty important. In high school we were able to come to school early and get and do a walk-thru sort of thing to find where our classes where and our assigned locker. Some of my girlfriends and I would meet and decide who we would share lockers with so we could leave certain books, papers etc in the closest locker to certain classes. That’s pretty much the most I can remember since it’s been so long
As for tools, well picking out the perfect color backpack & pens that would go well with my clothes was important. Computers were still so new and Big and CLUNKY back then I wouldn’t have to worry about that. I’d just have to pick out my different 3 leaf notebook binders. (Dang that sounds ancient)
goldone Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
Getting in just under the wire:
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/goldone/status/3675154232
Michelle AKA @sweepstakesgirl Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
Seriously, the only ritual for back to school when I was a kid was shopping for new sneakers. And they always had to be on sale!!! Today, my kids insist we go to every store– Walmart, Kmart, Target, the mall– and buy everything new! Uhhhggg!
Michelle AKA @sweepstakesgirl Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
Tweet! http://twitter.com/sweepstakesgirl/status/3675195205.
Lindz Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
The school ritual that sticks out in my head was picking that perfect first day outfit. It was such an important thing, and my mom was so patient with me trying on 10,000 different outfits until I found the one that would feel just right. It was always like attending the Oscars, the outfit was what it was all about. That is most most vivid ritual memory.
Lindz Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
http://twitter.com/LindzCS/status/3675667149
Lindz Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 4:00 pm
My website http://sweepstakesjunkiegiveawayaficionado.blogspot.com/2009/08/mocha-momma-hosting-intel-laptop.html
Donna K Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
When I was a child we went together to go back to school shopping. I do the same with my children.
Lindsay Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
I don’t have children, but I do teach children. I remember when it was my fist day of school, there were always many parents lurking around and tons of parents coming and going through out the morning. THis morning, on my first day of school, I had 2 parents out of 18 kids. It was a little crazy. My dad took me to school for the first day all the time. We also had a lunch ritual that day. That was the only day that I got to leave school at lunch and go out on the town. I mis that now!
Shannon Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
I didn’t have a computer for school work.
Shannon Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
tweeted
http://twitter.com/07violet/status/3676323134
LaughingMouse Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
No computerized anything for schoolwork. I still love school supply buying time! Makes me want to get a bouquet of sharpened pencils.
Can Can (Mom Most Traveled) Said,
August 31, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
My oldest son is in 4K. He stays at school the full day and he has a really neat waste-free lunch system, the Laptop Lunch Bag. When I was young we had the drug store lunch boxes and thermoses. I think his stuff looks cooler
. He also has Mabel’s Labels instead of his name written on stuff with a sharpie!
My husband is a teacher and his highschool math students do lots more colaborative work on computer and other research even in math class! When I was in highschool math class was sitting and watching the teacher work problems on an overhead projector.
When I went back to school every year, I used to go out to eat pizza with a few of my close friends the Sunday night before school started. I will have to think of a special ritual for my son when he gets a little older. This year he was just so excited to go! He loves his school!
CanCan
Mom Most Traveled
http://www.MomMostTraveled.com
Blog: Back to school bliss, clothes shopping rituals | Fru-FruGal Said,
September 1, 2009 @ 12:20 am
[...] mochamomma [...]