What It Takes To Go Back To School …

I seriously should consider investing in stock with Crayola brand.  The girls and I did a little back to school shopping to get them ready and I feel like I practically spent my whole pay check with plenty of  Crayola brand products to show for it.  Have you ever stop to think how much as parents we have to spend to get our little stinkers ready for school?  The picture below shows most of our buys {minus a few uniforms, shoes, and supplies we could not find}.

The parish I work in and where my girls go to school is a public school system.  However, we still have to wear uniforms.  I am happy about this because as a teacher I think it makes the students look nicer and more put together and I don’t have to worry so much about making sure everyone is properly dressed.  As a parent every year we have to buy new uniforms, because my two girls grow like weeds and I can’t keep shoes and clothes on them without going up in sizes.  On our little adventure we were able to get all of their uniforms {short, pants, polos, plaid jumper, plaid skirts, and etc..} and supplies.    I did notice that their school supply list seemed a little shorter than usual and I was so thankful for that.   I never really complain about buying them supplies, because as a teacher I know how much we really use them.   I have had parents ask me do they really need three boxes of crayons for the whole year and I tell them yes.   Most 7-8 year olds will lose a box of crayons within a few weeks if you let them have free reign with them.  School supply shopping is one of our favorite things to do at my house.  I get just as excited as the girls do.  I guess that is the teacher in me.  There is something about opening up a brand-new box of crayons.  I like the way the look, smell, and feel.  {If you have ever read a Junie B. Jones book she describes it perfectly to Mr. Scary her teacher:  Pointy ones are better than broken ones}.  My two kiddos are no different.  As soon as we got home they were ready to separate their supplies into their own piles and get all their uniforms organized and together.  I hope they never lose this excitement for getting ready for school.  It warms my teacher heart to see them so pumped up to go back to school.   Now that they have all their goods organized and ready to go, it is my turn to go school supply shopping for my class.  And I will get just as excited as they do.  Although it can get pricey at times, it is worth the excitement that it brings to my house and classroom.