Or just, like, wants.
Whatever.
Honestly, I hate back to school season.
Seriously.
As much as I love my work from home days where I can eat cookies for lunch without anyone judging me and play OITNB in the background while I write, I miss my babies.
Not the fighting or the I’m-boreds or the constant hunt for something to eat, but them.
Just being.
Plus summer –grilling on the deck, sitting in the yard with the neighbors, going for ice cream at 9pm and not having to hurry home. The community concert, hours at the lake, even more hours at the pool. Sweaty boys with their sweaty friends getting sweaty because they are outside, in the fresh air, doing dude things, as they should.
Just all of the summer.
All of it ends with the start of the school season.
And I am salty.
Naturally, I pull on my good mom drawers and try to be positive –I act excited about new backpacks, and new shoes (okay, I’m not acting when it comes to shoes because new shoes are awesome!!!). I act like buying 16 glue sticks for one kid isn’t the most ridiculous thing ever. And, when their schedules show up in the mail, I run to my basement to sob and then clean myself up before happily showing them how to put it into their planners for the first day.
Because as horrible and sadness-inducing as the end-of-summer-back-to-school season is for me, I want them to feel empowered and prepared and positive and confident.
Most of that comes from attitude, but some of that comes from preparation and making sure they have what they need (and like) to feel good about the school year.
Here’s what makes the list for us.
10 Back to School Essentials We Love
To Stay Organized: Post-it Weekly Planner
I know, everything is digital. We can just sync our phones. And invite each other to events. And literally never use a pencil or a calendar again ever! Which we do, totally. But I need to see things laid out, on paper, to get an idea of what I am facing each week. And because no matter how hard I try, I am always missing stuff my phone alerts me about. This weekly planner is perfect for everyone, including the appointment obsessed 8 year old who doesn’t have a phone.
To Organize Your Lunch: Bento Lunch Box
Listen, you can for sure get one for like $40 that is all fancy and zen and cool and stuff, but there is no way in this life I am paying more than $20 for my kids’ lunchboxes. I mean I need three of them after all. Dude 3 loves the fresh lunches I make and we just ordered this bento lunch box to take to school this year. It’s the ice packs. And the separate section with the top. Bcause the all open ones are lame.
To Carry Your Bento: Good Lunch Sak
For older kids and those who aren’t about that Bento life, this basic lunch bag is a good fit. They are also washable, like washing machine safe, which means when your kid’s Go-Gurt explodes in there you should be good. Added bonus: under $20.
To Protect Your Feet: Plae Shoes
I’ve shared our love for Plae Shoes many times before because it is one Dude 3 and I adore equally. We have purchased multiple pairs of their kicks and we are always super happy with them in terms of comfort , price, and durability.
To Carry Your Stuff: Ogio Backpack
We have been fortunate in the backpack department because we have been able to get many years out of each bag. We try to invest in a quality backpack that will be durable and comfortable for the long term. That means no one strap nonsense, nothing too gaudy (because while Dude 2 was all into neon a couple of years ago, he is more of a black on black type Dude now), nothing super trendy. Thickish, adijsutable straps with plenty of space for books, lunch bag, and a sweatshirt, because in this house, if they hand carry it they leave it on the bus.
To Hold Your Supplies: Zipit Beast Box
Dude 3 doesn’t like being basic. This cool pencil box is so not that. We have to use a hard one at our school, but we don’t have to use that same plastic one that usually doesn’t make it through the year without a cracked top.
To Lock Up Your Stuff: Master Lock
Older kids have lockers and sometimes they need locks. Might as well have a cool lock to protect it with.
To Get Your Cut On: Fiskars Kids Scissors
Every back to school list in the history of back to school lists seem to have scissors on it. We like these because they are for big kids so their thumbs don’t get awkwardly stuck in the holes when they use them.
To Keep You Hydrated: Camelbak Water Bottle
We like this mini water bottle because it will fit easily in the lunch sack. And it isn’t leaky.
To Fill Your Belly: Go to Back to School Snacks
Fresh food is always our first choice. We do a sandwich or pasta or a wrap, pretzels or crackers, fruit, veggies, and a treat of some sort most days. They take water in a bottle to drink (I haven’t purchased a juice box in years). I sometimes pack an after school snack for them as well depending on schedule. Clif Kid ZBars are an old standby. We also discovered Nature Valley Biscuits with Almond Butter this year –next level delicious!
Disclosure: We received some items in this post for free in order to try them out in our back to school routine. We were not further compensated and all opinions are our own. Oh, also, some affiliate links have been used.