I just spent the morning labeling lunch boxes, signing paperwork and locating toddler shoes that fit, which can only mean one thing: it’s officially The (Pre)School Year. Truth be told, with all the Sharpie covered prep ramping up, I’m starting to get a little nervous about all of the obligations that will soon be headed my way. Room Mom assignments, holiday party prep, staff breakfasts and class donations are just days away from being assigned, solicited and volunteered for and I am not up for the challenge. I mean, if last school year was any indication, I am officially the worst preschool teacher gift giver of all time (who knew you were supposed to bring in Valentine’s Day gifts?). But as soon as the butterflies hit my stomach, I had a coffee fueled epiphany.
This year, I’m taking a stand.
This year I refuse to let preschool extracurriculars become yet another thing on my To Do List. And as much as I love how much my son grows, learns and accomplishes each year, I also refuse to put too much pressure on my kid and myself, because, really, it’s just freaking preschool. Instead, I’m just going to have to say No to the following things:
1. Back To School Teacher Gifts
I learned my lesson last year and I am prepared for gifting teachers, admins, directors and aides on all of the holidays (major or otherwise) but I just can’t with the Welcome Back teacher gift. We haven’t even started yet! I promise to take in a Target gift card when my kid starts potty training and will try very hard to remember all of the teacher’s birthdays, but a back to school gift is lost on me. I’m sure the other Mommies will do a great job of figuring out the perfect trinket to say “I hope my kid doesn’t terrorize you this year” but I’m going to need that brain space to plan an appropriate St. Patrick’s Day teacher gift that doesn’t involve booze.
2. Keeping Every Piece of Art
Oh the art. I love when my son makes art – he loves when he makes art – we all make a big fuss over the art. But then what? What do I do with all of the art!? Save it all? I just don’t have that kind of storage. This year, after the fuss has been made, I am going to quietly trash some of the preschool art. Now, I’m no monster, I will obviously keep the good stuff (cotton ball sheep, I’m looking at you) but a coloring page with a few crayon scribbles just isn’t going to make the cut this year.
3. Gourmet Lunches
Last year I caught a peek at another mom unloading her babe’s lunch and almost died of shock. Let me just say that my attempts at lunch packing did not hold a candle to her Toddler Bento Box complete with a turkey sandwich rolled and cut to look like sushi. All I could wonder was how long she spent that morning, screaming babies underfoot, making a sushi sandwich that a toddler clearly will not appreciate. Last year I let the bento lady get to me and thus spent way too much time crafting elaborate lunches that were hardly consumed. This year I’m sticking with the classic combo of Goldfish, mini muffins and raisins and calling it a day.
4. Attending Carnival Day (on a Saturday)
Dear School,
I really like you guys, I promise, it’s just that things are kinda crazy around here and organizing a family trip to school on a Saturday is just not going to happen. If I’m being honest, I can think of one million other ways I would rather spend a Saturday than herding my kid around a parking lot full of games that require both hand eye coordination and waiting in line (neither of which are his strong suit). If we promise to celebrate Fall at home with a hay bale and grocery store pumpkin can we get a pass on this one?
5. Theme Days Of Any Kind
If I have to find a special outfit, pack a special class snack, craft a goodie bag or do any “homework”, then we’re out. He’s two, he’s in this for the playground not “celebrate our home state week”.
6. Parent Mass Emails
While I do want to be informed on everything the teachers deem necessary, I do not want to buy Tupperware/candles/face wash/leggings from you just because our kids happen to be in the same 2K class. Trust me, I already buy most of that stuff from friends who bugged me on Facebook and the well is dry. So don’t mind me while I unceremoniously delete you mass email and remove myself from the chain.
Cheers to the new school year!
This is hysterical. We are about a year away from sending our daughter to preschool but this is all already making me panic. In regards to storing artwork, I heard a great idea of snapping a photo of it before you throw it away and then you can turn it into a book later on. win win!
Hey there! The gifts on my snap were for end of year for his summer school teachers – he is moving to a new class and will have new teachers this school year (big boy!). As I mentioned in my post, I am thrilled (once I got the memo!) to gift on all major + minor holidays/birthdays/when we start potty training and things get ugly but I'm a little lost over the concept of "welcome back gifts" on the first day of school. We provide supplies from the class wish list and supported a class gift when one of our teachers last year lost her father but day one gifting seems to be jumping the gun to me. We appreciate our teachers immensely but I have a feeling "back to school" gifts were inspired by Pinterest!
I usually love all your blog posts! But what were the Target coffee mugs and Starbucks gift cards you were packing up on your snapchat yesterday and in the "picking up" snapchat today? I personally love gifting my kids daycare teachers as I know they put up with a lot and don't always get paid a ton. No shame in being grateful & appreciative!!
I can't believe all the crazy gifts that American parents are "expected" to give throughout the year. I have always done a card and small gift st Christmas and another small gift and bottle of wine at the end of the year. I also give some items throughout the year when I find them on sale like extra packs of crayons or pencil crayons. Or thinks in my crafting stash I am not going to use.
My boys are 6 and almost 9, lunches are what I know they will eat and if they don't eat the fruit and sandwich they forfeit the special snacks for the next day. I am super mean that way.
Good for you for drawing the line!!
GwynnW
Omg. So funny. I have an art wall clothes line thing where I hang the art for a couple weeks. Then I have a storage bin for each girl and the "good" stuff gets dropped in and the rest secretly goes out Wednesday night after bedtime to be recycled Thursday. As far as Lucy (5 year old) knows, ALL the art that comes off the art wall is on her box. I just smile and nod
omg dying hahaha. I don't even have a kid yet and I'm so annoyed by R&F and Lularoe ads. NO I DON'T WANT ANY. And when did email/Facebook become the place for trying to sell things? Ugh!
Yes to every. single. thing. in this post. And times it by two, actually, because now I have 2 kids in our preschool/MMO. So, no. I do not want to buy the preschool t-shirts. One, because I don't like advertising where my kid goes to school. And two, because I already support the school plenty well financially. With the tuition I pay monthly.
Dang your preschool sounds fancy pants. Maybe it's just because IDGAF and don't really pay attention. I have never seen a back to school teacher gift at a freakin preschool. Also, I don't keep all the "art" and haven't been for years. oops.
i feel like you'd really like the podcast called "one bad mother". they recently talked about how to throw away and organize artwork. it really celebrates things like this blog post: not trying to do it all, just trying to get through the day while raising kids and staying sane. i think it'd be up your alley!