Plans for 1St Day of School (1St Grade).

I don't do anything special but I definitely take them. I come into work late and run out to pick them up or take the day off etc. They're still young enough it's a huge deal to them.

This year is the first year I have not been employed (and needed to be at work myself) on the first day of school. As my daughter is in Pre-K and it is a huge transition from her smaller daycare where all staff and kids knew her I am staying as long as I am welcome (her new teacher likes parents to stay much of the first morning). After school we will have a nice family dinner. I plan to pick them both up right after so they can tell me all about it

I always take pictures before they leave. Since we have four that are pretty closely stair stepped, I usually have one thats is starting a milestone year like pre-k or kinder or first day of middle school. This year my youngest is going from primary school to the "big kid" elementary, I have one that is going into his last year of elementary, one starting middle school and one who is super nervous about her first pep-rally as a cheerleader on her first day of 7th grade. So, we will probably do a celebratory dinner out that night.....cheesy I know lol.

I always take my children to school every day, so yes, I do drop my children off.

At our school, the first day of school is always started with a Rose Ceremony first thing in the morning. All of the classes (First through Eighth) first go to their classrooms to do Opening verse. Then they each carry their chair outside to the meadow (where there is a stage and a wooden bridge over the little stream).

The students all sing their school song and recite their school verse. Then the first graders line up with their families. Each child is called forward, and the family crosses the child over the bridge and walks up onto the stage where the parents hug their child and then give him/her over to the teacher. The teacher welcomes the child, then walks the child away from the family and into the welcoming arms of the school (symbolized by an 8th grader who from that point on becomes the 1st grader's "Buddy" for the school year). The 8th grade buddy hands the child a rose and takes them to their seat. It's a lovely, symbolic ceremony that leaves very few dry eyes on the part of the parents! After the ceremony, all the classes return to their rooms to begin the school year.

ADDED: SH, maybe C. is like me and knows she will be crying most of the day when her baby goes off to first grade, so it's best for her to take the day off. : ) Heck, I STILL sit in the parking lot and cry on the first day of school and my children are in 3rd and 6th! I just love having them home with me, and each time I take them back to school, it's just another reminder that they are getting older and will soon be leaving me to live their own lives! sniff sniff

Our kids are much older. As a matter of fact our son turns 21 this month and our daughter is starting her junior year in high school.
But my DH began a tradition when our son started kindergarten. On the first and last days of school he takes them out to breakfast. Even as the kids have gotten older and they drive themselves to school, they still go out to breakfast. He hasn't missed a year! Then he goes on into work, just a little late.

I normally take the first day off, but since I think I'll be in a brand new job, I won't be able to this year. I make sure to take TONS of pictures. I cry every year because I can't believe how old they are getting...mine are going into 3rd and 1st...next year when the baby goes to kindergarten I'm taking the week off! LOL

Just a little thing that occured to me. Remember some of the stories from 9/11? Some of those parents would have been in the Towers that morning, if it had not been their children's first day of school and they were coming in late or off for some sort of special dropping them off situations.

Sorry, didn't mean to alter your thread, its just what came ot mind!

With my DD who will start her senior year, we have always worked, so nothing consistent, but when she was litlte and taking the bus, etc, I coudl always wlak her to the bus and be there when she got home (always did the first few weeks..I do home childcare)...always a special breakfast and snack when she got home.

Now I just always do my best to make some time for her in the first week or so of school, when she gets home (she leaves just before I am ready for my day to begin). She always has so much to tell me, then proceeds to nap for an hour! Her days are LONG (7am-5pm).

SOme of our neighbor ladies used to celebrate the first day of school by taking the day off (not that any of them were home FT with their kids all summer..I did daycare for a few of them!), get them off to school, then go do a pamper- Mom day, lunch, mani-pedi's, shopping, etc then be home for the bus and a special dinner for the family. I always thought it was odd, but whatever works for you!

Yes I always get a first day of school cake. Its usually a strawberry shortcake. I write something "Happy First Day of School"

I always take photos of all 3 of my kids on my front porch and separtely then together.

I ask to come in a few mintues late to work, so I can drop them off and walk them to their class to get settled. We will probably do dinner at their fav resturant too. I always take pictures of them on the front porch in their uniforms too!

What time does school start for your child???
What some working parents do at my kids' school..... is on the first day of school, they do walk their child to the classroom and carry their tons of school supplies for their child to the classroom.
A young child, cannot carry all of that.
They take photos too, etc. Which is normal and many parents do that. Me included.

BUT, for these working parents, since they do take their child to the classroom... they go into work a tad later than usual. Telling their Boss, ahead of time of course. And that is usually fine. Then they don't take their lunch break or just use an hour or so, of their accrued days off/sick days.
Then that way, they CAN go with their child, to their classroom, on their first day of school.

You do not have to take the ENTIRE day off of work. Just maybe an hour or two. Then go into the office, later.

Every year I take a picture of them on the first day of school. When they were younger we might have a special snack when they came home on that first day and special breakfast. One year our block had a big bbq to celebrate back to school.

I work full time burt on the first day of school I go in late. I take the kids to school and walk the elementary one in. The older one just gets dropped off in the line :) I get off in time to pick them up. We do something a little special that afternoon - either a treat on the way home or dinner out or something like that. It's always been like this. I am fine with not being off the entire day.

I wish I could take the day off or at least a half a day but since we have a PTO freeze on I will walk my son to school (after taking the traditional porch pictures) and then go in to work. In kindergarten there was a whole meet and greet with the teacher and such but from first grade on it's more drop and go, but I still like to be a part of it.

My kid rides a bus. Our school prefers that kids that will be riding a bus during the year ride on the first day. If parents want to follow the bus to school and walk their kids in, they are allowed, but the parents are not allowed in the classroom, just the hallway.

I always try to work from home or take the day off. I just stand at the bus stop and see them off and then try to be there when he gets home.

I work full time and I am taking a half a day from work. My daughter goes to school 8-1130 so I can drop off and pick her up and then I can grab a quick lunch and go into work. So its almost the best of both :)

My son is starting K (full day) this year so I'm taking the day off to take him to school (I did this for his first day of Pre-K both years too). My husband and I plan to take him to lunch or to get ice cream afterwards. I also take a "First Day of School" photo in front of our house before we leave. After all of these years, I still get so excited for the first day of school!