The Sewing Mom

I posted earlier in the week about my daughter starting school this past Monday and starting at the junior high.  I thought I would update on how she’s adapting to her new surroundings.

The first day was a huge challenge.  We had gone to the school the week before to tour the classrooms and find her assigned locker.  We even walked room to room so she would know right where to go.  Apparently she was so nervous on Monday that she had forgotten everything we’d gone over and couldn’t find anything.  Thankfully, she recognized the lady that runs the computer lab and everytime she was lost she happened to run into the woman and asked for help.  When she got home we highlighted a map of the building to show exactly where her classes were so she’d have an easier time on day 2.

The second day went a little bit smoother.  She did manage to figure out where her classes were, but she became very nervous about being in a P.E. class with 8th graders who were much bigger than she is.  Now, she’s not petite, but there are boys and girls in her P.E. class.  She didn’t know anyone in her P.E. class either, so that didn’t help.  She was also getting nervous because classes would be starting their diagnostic testing the following day.  She really doesn’t mind those tests, but this time she was worried about band of all things!  She hadn’t practiced her horn over the summer, so she was nervous about how she would do.

Day 3 came and went without too much to tell.  She had to play one note in band and she was completely relieved.  She was also assigned her P.E. locker and her band locker, so now she has a total of 3 combinations to remember.   She is starting to get to know one of the 8th grade girls in her P.E. class, their lockers are next to each other and the girl seemed very friendly.

Today was a day for starting to feel into the routine.  She is getting to know her teachers and their expectations.  She’s gaining confidence and feeling more comfortable I’m happy to say.  I get the feeling that it’s going to be a good year for school.

Tags: school

Today was the first day of school here in Texas.  My daughter was pretty nervous, so much so that she was unable to eat any breakfast.  I’m sure that once she got to school and got to her first class that her nerves more than likely settled down.  She will quickly fall into the routine.

Riding the bus was adding to her anxiety today.  She rode the bus from kindergarten through 5th grade, but last year, after we moved, I drove her to and from school every day.  The school was very close by, but on the other side of a very busy rode.  She could have ridden the bus, but since it was so close, I drove her.  This year, I let her know that she would need to ride the bus.  The junior high is farther away from the house and it just made sense.

I walked her to her bus stop this morning.  She is the only kid at this bus stop and I didn’t want her standing there by herself on the first day.  It’s a good thing I did because the bus was running about 15 minutes behind schedule and that would have just added to her nervousness.   It did eventually arrive and picked her up, so I know she overcame that first hurdle.

Now I just have to wait around all day to hear how the rest of her day went!

Tags: school, school bus

That’s it.  The Olympics have come to their conclusion and so has our summer vacation.  My daughter starts school tomorrow.

Normally she is very excited about the first day of school.  This year, perhaps because she is beginning junior high, she is excited, but mixed with a large dose of nervousness.   It has been tough since we moved last year and she left her dozens of friends behind.   I just keep reminding her though that tomorrow, every single 7th grader at school will be in the exact same boat as her, they’re all starting new.  There are 12 elementary schools feeding into this junior high, so many of the kids will not know each other.  They may or may not be in the same classes with their friends from last year.  This is a time of new friendships, new beginnings.

Although I’m not looking forward to having to get up early in the morning, I am anxious to hear all about her first day.

Tags: junior high, middle school, school

This is it, the last week of my daughter’s summer vacation.  Next Monday, one week from today, she will be starting her first year at the junior high, entering 7th grade.  She is handling this transition much better than I am, I believe I’m just not ready for her to grow up and yet, she’s doing it anyway.  Right before my eyes.

We don’t have much planned for this week, maybe we can take in a movie or something.  She is getting her hair trimmed later in the week and thursday night we will be attending the Expectations Night at her school.  That night she will receive her class schedule, locker assignment and have a chance to meet her teachers.  She is very much looking forward to that.  I’m hoping that night will help ease my mind!

So, what are you doing this week?

Tags: school

My daughter and I have spent the last week and a half doing some back to school shopping. We’ve successfully purchased her some new clothes, including jeans and that’s not easy to do when we’ve just recorded our 12 consecutive 100+ degree day. We’ve also been busy buying supplies like pens, pencils and paper. The biggest and most difficult item to get was her binder and messenger bag. She had trouble deciding exactly what she wanted, but, after a few attempts, she’s got it, a nice new messenger bag that she is very happy with.

Now we’re on to the next step of getting ready for back to school. Organizing and labeling. I always like to make sure she has everything for that 1st day of school and that it’s all ready to go long before she gets on the bus that first morning. I also like to make sure that what is hers, remains hers and so I’ve always labeled everything. When she started kindergarten I used a permanent marker to write her name on everything, just the way my mom did when I was in school.  It’s great if you have beautiful handwriting, but I don’t and so it can start to look a little tacky.

Then I discovered one of my favorite inventions ever, the label maker! Oh, what my mom wouldn’t have given for one of these babies! It is so cool that even my daughter helps out by typing in her name and printing the labels. Then I peel them and place them on each item. I’ve even learned that unlike my hand printed name in my clothes (tacky), I can use the DYMO LetraTag printer to print out my daughter’s name onto DYMO’s iron-on tape. I love this little machine!

My daughter is a perfectionist, so it’s nice that she can have all the Color labels to coordinate just the way she wants them to, unlike all the tacky labeling I had as a kid. I sure do hope she knows how good she’s got it!

Tags: DYMO, label, LetraTag, Organizing, school

Every year I find myself searching the advertisements for sales on school supplies. Then, I find myself running from store to store looking for just the right items. It makes it more challenging because my daughter is somewhat choosy about her school supplies and what she wants, so I always have to make sure she is with me. Of course, as much as I love having her with me, it always ends up taking me longer and costing me more! This year is no different, except that she’s going into junior high so their are some additional items to hunt down.

I would love it if our school district would utilize the EZ School Supplies program. Through EZSchoolSupplies.com, schools can register, enter their supply lists and receive a promotional package to help inform students and parents about the program. Students and parents can then order prepackaged school supplies that are exactly what their teachers want and require them to have. Not only does it help students be prepared for class, but it helps them to be successful in school, after all, being prepared leads to a feeling of confidence. Being confident leads to success.

I was fortunate to receive a sample box of school supplies from EZSchoolSupplies.com and I have to tell you, the items in it were all first rate, quality products. These weren’t knock of brands either, they were name brands, items I would purchase if I was at the store shopping. I even love the box the supplies came in, it has a convenient carry handle and is large enough to accommodate the large size construction paper and deep enough to stack up all the folders and markers and still have room to add to it. It’s a great way to keep the supplies organized and handy.

EZSchoolSupplies.com carries all kinds of school supplies, including these:

• 3-RING BINDERS

• BACKPACKS

• CRAYONS

• ELECTRONICS

• ERASERS

• FIRST AID

• FOLDERS & FILES

• GLUE & TAPE

• KITCHEN ITEMS

• LABELS & DIVIDERS

• MARKERS

• NOTEBOOKS & PADS

• PAINT

• PAPER

• PENCILS

• PENS

• POST-IT NOTES

• REFERENCE BOOKS

• SCISSORS

• STORAGE

• WATER BOTTLES

If you’re not sure if your school utilizes EZSchoolSupplies.com, take a look at their website, type in your zip code and it will show the schools in your area who participate.  It does benefit the schools who do participate in more ways than one.  Besides helping the students to be prepared, schools who participate earn 10% of the total net sales.  It’s a great fundraiser and something all students can use.

Tags: EZSchoolSupplies.com, school, school supplies, supplies

I can’t believe it, this is my daughter’s  last full week of school, then a 3 day weekend, a 4 day week and a couple of days the following week and she’ll be done. Okay, that was a very long way to say that my daughter has less than 3 weeks remaining of 6th grade! I can tell she’s getting excited and is looking forward to moving up to 7th grade at the middle school.

I’ve really been amazed at everything the school district has been doing to not only prepare 6th graders for going up to junior high, but also to get them thinking about high school and even college. Their main message is that the classes they take in 7th grade are the building blocks for what they can take in 8th grade which then become the basis for what they take their freshman year in high school, and so on and so on. Do you know how hard it is to get 12 year olds to think that far ahead?! I have to admit though, I admire my daughter and how she is taking all of this in.

She filled out her “6 year plan” last week and turned it in to the school counselor. I wish someone had gone over all of this with me when I was 12. Instead, I felt clueless when I went through school as to what my future held. I never felt in control of my future, I think that my daughter feels in total control. I’m so happy for her!

Tags: education, school