yes, yes, yes... I know we have been back to school for quite a bit now but I hate to get caught up in all the back to school mayhem! And yet, there I was sending out all of my emailers for the new collections! I do somehow feel that kids grow like weeds in the summertime, maybe it's the sun, wind, rain and all that great fresh air! Or maybe it's their steady diet of GRAPES! (ha!) whatever it is, by the time school comes around NOTHING fit's anymore! All of my son's pants became clamdiggers (remember them!?). So when the first day of school came around... there I was running to my store the night before school and picking up a pair of nonchalant kids pants and jeans (love is organic denim-his favorite, they are super soft)!
As for Franny, it was her first day of Kindergarten! BIG day! and a new dress was necessary! Otherwise I find that a five year old can wear old dresses as tops with jeans and somehow with girls it doesn't seem so bad to me when their pants are almost culottes! Her current favorite look is: t-shirt, jeans AND a skirt and a 'hairdo' (which means a braid or something) - my favorite part of this look is that NOTHING needs to match, and it's even better if everything has a different pattern!
The one accessory that I like to get each year is a new backpack! By the end of the year before I can hardly look at that thing again... right!? My favorite is the Kånken, made by Fjällräven - yes, the Swede's make just about the best of everything! For the kids I like the Kånken mini! it's the perfect size and comes in THE BEST colors! so there you go.. it's my back to school item!
So for the new parents sending their kids to kindergarten for the first time... your shopping list is easy:
pants
tops
shoes
socks
backpack!
Which brings us to the other accessory that is the bane of any parents existence... the lunchbox! I have yet to find the solution to the lunchbox! But I do like this one from a funny company called Oots! (that strap on top is for the drink--smart huh? We need lot's of versatility because our poor kids never know what they are going to get in their lunchbox, my husband gets pretty crafty with the sandwiches! But we never forget the good old peanut butter and jelly! (and they NEVER buy school lunch-if you are new to public schools you will find that the lunches have not changed since you went to school! -no matter HOW OLD you are!)
Good luck and have a wonderful day while your kids go to school! - that subject deserves another post!
