Two weeks and one day.
That’s all I have left of summer, 2018 with my Dudes.
And, this is a huge year for us –I have a fifth grader, an eighth grader, and a high school junior, which means next year we will be saying adios to elementary school forever, saying hello to high school for my middle, and counting down the days until my oldest is officially done with kid life.
Sooooo exciting.
It’s crazy how time flies, especially when you’re raising kids.
I was talking to a friend about this just the other day, in fact.
She’s in the chase-your-toddler-across-a-soccer-field-during-the-middle-of-a-game phase of life and I made a joke about how she’d one day miss it. Because, honestly, I hated when people used to say that to me.
You’re sitting over there in your lawn chair, with your latte, scrolling through Instagram while your 7 year old plays nicely on the playground nearby. I’m standing here, coffee entirely abandoned in the cup holder of the stroller my 2-year-old bucked his way out of, covered in sweat, waiting for him to bolt onto the soccer field to try to slide steal the ball from his brother during a match.
I don’t care what you say, no way do I believe for one second that you miss chasing a 2-year-old across a field, because leisurely enjoying your latte is just a total nightmare.
No one misses being awoken from sleep 14 times a night because your baby just won’t sleep through it?
No one misses having a diaper blowout in the freezer section of Super Target, with a cart full of groceries and an ornery preschooler begging you to pick him up when he knows you can’t even move one finger or the diaper full of doodoo you’ve got smashed in a death grip against your newborn will explode all over the frozen veggie display.
Here I am, with a ten year old and two teenagers, approximately 7 years post diaper life, looking just around the corner at my son’s senior year of high school, and I can tell you for certain: I DON’T MISS IT.
I am happy-sad to see my kids marching so spiritedly toward adulthood and a life that doesn’t involve me so much anymore. I’m so excited for them to experience so many things, and I’m so afraid of how much I’m going to miss them when they go off to do it. But, do I miss being covered in sweat on the sidelines of the football field because my two year old refuses to sit anywhere but inside of me despite it being some-layer-of-Hell hot outside?
That’s just what’s real.
Almost as real as the fact that I still need to do my back to school shopping.
With three dudes heading into the classroom in a couple of weeks, we are in crunch mode to get their school supplies in order. I anticipate that, with the two chromebooks I am required to rent (or buy) for high school and middle school, lab and course fees, and the lengthy list of largely disposable school supplies I need to buy, we will spend around $500 just to get them in the door this year.
Painful? Yes.
Normal? Apparently.
Which means you all are in the same buy all of the school supplies boat that I’m in.
If you’re looking for some cool and fun ways to add some awesome to your kids’ back to school supplies, Babbleboxx sent me a ton of fun, affordable, functional, and cool products to share with you before you hit the store.
Fun & Funky Back to School Supplies & Essentials
5 Things Your Kids Need to Rock Back-to-School Season
A cool outfit.
OshKosh boy clothes have been a part of our household for 17 years. We’ve dressed the Dudes in everything from their character underwear to their overalls and I love that, with clothing options up to size 14, we can still enjoy their quality clothing for a little bit longer.
The fun graphic tee they sent is one of Dude 3’s favorite back to school shirts and he’s planning to rock it on the first day of school.
Way to save: Enjoy 20% off purchases of $40+ using these codes: in store code: 038222 or online at OshKosh code: OKBG354
Fresh eyewear.
For kids who wear glasses, getting a fresh pair can help them feel confident and ready to start the year. It’s also always a good idea to make sure your child’s prescription is up to date before the first day of school.
While finding cool kids glasses can be somewhat of a chore, Zenni Optical makes the process easy. You can shop at home and choose from tons of options making it easy to find the perfect kids eyewear for your little one. Added bonus: they have sunglasses too!
Check out all of the kids glasses here: Zenni Optical
Topnotch school supplies.
Scissors
I feel like I buy scissors for them every single year because they are always breaking or they’re just terrible (you know how you go to cut a piece of paper and instead of cutting it, the scissors just bend it?!).
Also known as the “world’s favorite scissors,” the titanium bonded scissors Westcott sent us are so not about that bending paper life. Titanium even sounds strong and, with a nonstick coating to keep the blades sharper, longer, I feel like they’re actually going to cut paper all year long.
Buy them here: Westcott Scissors
Writing and coloring utensils
Dude 3 is obsessed with writing and illustrating stories. He creates them in his down time at home and he also comes home with several during the school year that he chooses to complete during his classroom free time. Obviously, as a writer and wannabe illustrator (as in, I can’t draw to save my life, but I have always wished I could), this makes my heart sing.
He loves having pens and pencils and markers and crayons and all manner of utensils to create his artwork, and he is kind of obsessed with mechanical pencils (weren’t we all though?). Blot offers a full range of brightly colored ballpoint pens, pastel gel coloring pens, mini gel coloring pens, mini highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other writing and coloring utensils in a range of vibrant hues to spice up your back to school work. They’re the type of thing that makes buying school supplies fun!
Check out their full range of school supplies here: Blot Supplies
Hair Care Products
At our house, where curls are covering every head in sight, we are super particular about which products we use and how we use them. In fact, other than a cleansing shampoo and a rich conditioner, we rarely even use anything else –and that goes for me too!
However, if styling products are an important part of your child’s hygiene routine, Snip Its may be the perfect thing to send your child back to school with. Their Morning Miracle Mousse Styling Spray is a kid-friendly formula that also helps protect children’s scalps from the sun, and their Wacky Wax Medium Hold Pomade can be used for fun styles that result in an all-day hold.
Find it here: Snip-Its
Tasty, healthy lunch snacks.
Back to school lunches are the most challenging part of our mornings. My boys eat a lot and we are always looking for filling, nutritional options to help them make it through the day.
For those with younger kids, Sprout Organic creates organic kids snacks that kids and parents love. They’re made only with real, honest, and pure ingredients that are USDA certified organic and non-GMO. Their Curlz are a great source of plant powered protein, and their Crispy Chews are packed with good stuff kids need to feel energized and full during the day.
Buy them here: Sprout Organic
Want to know what other moms are saying about the cost of going back to school? Check out this post on the DudeMom Facebook Community Page: The Truth About Back to School Costs