An Education in Back to School

This will be an emotional fall in the Sager household. Jillian is going to school.

I’ve been trying to convince myself it’s no big deal, but you try to shut off that crazy mom who showed up on your shoulder around the time you missed that first period!

For three years, I’ve spent the better half of the work week with my daughter at my side, rushing from interview to interview or settling at my desk while she buzzes around with her toys on the floor beside me.

Now she’ll spend two mornings a week at a nearby nursery school, while I – miracles of miracles – go into the office to get some real work done! If I have pictures to shoot, I’ll be able to take a quick couple of shots without editing the little head bopping into the frame. I confess I’m afraid my bosses might get a little too used to this sort of thing.

I know I could get used to just one showing of Blue’s Clues per week. With weekends already TV-free zones, she’ll have to get her Noggin fix on Friday mornings or not at all!

But what of those mid-week snuggles on the rare mornings when she’s decided to crawl into the warm space left behind when my husband has left for work? What about finishing up an interview only to be invited up the street so Jillian can meet a family of ducks or the new spring lambs?

With less time for Mommy and me moments, I put a focus on finding “time savers” as we did our back to school shopping. Here’s what we’ve come up with so far:

With her summer Crocs looking a bit worse for wear, we got brave this year and did our first-ever online shoe purchase. I checked with Mama on the Move Marlo over at Psychobaby who promised the Vans run pretty true to size, and we bit the bullet. How could we not with a name like The Big School? Like the lifesaver that Crocs’ slip-on ability has been to me as a mama on the move, the little Velcro straps make these shoes perfect for kids who are at that “I can do it” stage. But the swirly heart motif makes mom feel better – they’re big girl shoes but there’s still some little girl left! They come in olive or with skater-style skulls for little boys too!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we won’t need her new Retro Circles Poncho from Peri Ponchos for a few more weeks, but this is just the right weight for frosty fall mornings. Peri started hand-sewing these for fun when her little girl was a little younger than Jilly. Now she makes her living painting houses and sewing these fleecy cover-ups while parenting a 9-year-old! Talk about a mama on the move! Available in 18 designs in sizes from toddler to tween, these are one of those “throw on and go” items every kid should have in her closet. (If only so Mom has a little more time to cuddle her in the morning!)

In honor of the upcoming election, my little girl’s already been showing off her back-to-school President Not Princess shirt by Ava’s Closet around town. The black version got a nod from Ms. Peekaboo Picker Megan back in February, but the folks over at Ava’s just came out with this red version for little girls who want to stand out. Stocked in black or red by Mama on the Move Marianne over at one of my favorite shops for kids who can dream big, Polkadot Patch, I wish I had an extra to frame on Jillian’s wall. Let’s face it – that’s what education for our kids is all about!

With a closet already loaded with backpacks, we couldn’t let this special occasion pass by without a new bag for all the masterpieces we’ll be hanging on our fridge in the months to come. We stuck with Polkadot Patch, and we weren’t disappointed when we found the Travel Packs Mod Flower Backpack. Although there are “school-sized” bags available, I loved being able to find something toddler-sized for Jillian’s petite frame. A lot of designers forget there’s a big difference between a 3-year-old heading off to nursery school and a 5-year-old heading to kindergarten, but the Four Peas bags are the perfect size. Better still, they’re made of a sturdy nylon that can handle the wear and tear of a little person who’s still learning how to take care for their possessions. As mamas on the move with no time for sewing know – sturdy means must buy!

A final back-to-school purchase was the lunch pail. Although nursery school will let out before noon, our new schedule will necessitate grabbing grub on the go (sound familiar moms?) We went retro with an old-fashioned metal lunchbox – with a modern (and monsterous) twist. We picked our favorite monster and had her name emblazoned on the front. When she flips it over, Jillian gets the giggles because it shows her monster’s hind end, with her name in reverse! Lead-free and food safe, chuck the brown bag and go green with these little monsters.

Have you started your back-to-school shopping yet? Share some of your best back-to-school saving tips with other moms in comments.