School Supplies

When I started school I didn't stop going until I was 30 years old. When I graduated high school I went to college, and then from college to teaching. I've always loved school. However, I don't love it now that I have to send my boys to preschool. It's 3-year old preschool and 4-year old preschool, but this is the start of decades of school. It's also the end of having all my children at home with me. As my mother would say, "It's time to cut the apron strings."

My husband and I went school supply shopping, and we decided on plain folders and plain backpacks. I really wanted the boys to have all the "it" characters for their supplies, but then I realized that it would be better for them to make everything their own. So I wrote their names on each folder, and they picked out their favorite colors of construction paper. The boys traced their hands on the construction paper and I helped them cut it out. We used packaging tape to seal the hands on the folder. When the hands were secure the boys started adding their favorite stickers to the folders. 

The backpacks were a little more tricky. My husband has been collecting patches for many years, so our idea was to add some to their backpacks. We laid out the approved patches for them to pick from. Most were vintage Jeep patches, and I could tell they were near and dear to my husband. He was happy to be using them, but still apprehensive about sewing them onto a preschoolers backpack. They turned out great. 

All of this decorating worked out to get the boys excited about going to school. They were proud of their work, and excited to show it off. We were assured that no one would have the same school supplies as our boys. Everything was made special.