best back-to-school buys

Hard to believe, after all of these months, that a week from now Hendrik will be a couple of days in to the in-person school year (for however long that lasts - not going to be surprised if/when schools get shut down). As we contemplate this, some thoughts that are as much for myself as for anyone else who needs to hear them: when it comes to school this fall, there are no good options, there are no right options, and there are no permanent options. This is the tough reality of a pandemic! So, while there are things we don't like about it (I mean, I still don't even go into grocery stores at this point!), we decided for a multitude of reasons that are important for us that, in light of the current situation in the area we live and the needs of our particular kid, he will do the full-time in-person option offered by his school. Thus, semi-regular back-to-school prep is happening around here (semi-regular in that any purchasing is happening online, and that there is a key addition to this year's shopping checklist: masks!).

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The school supply shopping, much as I love doing it, isn't all that exciting as his Montessori classroom has very specific and not very many supplies required, so it's really just checking stuff off a list, not picking out fun colors of notebooks and such. But there are plenty of other areas in which a kid needs to get geared up, and a mom can have her fun with colors and patterns here...

So for anyone else in prep mode, here are a few of our best buys for school-aged kids - some of these we are re-using from last year because they've held up so well (well, I guess we did go to school for only about half the year last year...) and others we're re-ordering in this year's size because they're very worth it.

For clothes/shoes: we highly recommend the Native Phoenix style - they held up for a whole school year, are nice and lightweight but comfy for running around, and are super easy on/off (run a tad small, FYI). And while H still (kind of) lets me pick out his clothes, I love button-downs for school; Gap and J.Crew Factory are my go-tos for that. I'm re-buying in this category, because nothing from last year fits!

For backpacks and lunchboxes: the North Face youth recon squash style is the perfect size for lower elementary aged kids and still looks almost new after last year, so that's a definite re-use. Same with our bento-style lunch box, which comes with outer case, ice packs, and washable insert for easy lunch packing and less waste. The mini size Swell bottle is just the right size and keeps his water cool; finally, I am stocking up on H's favorite bars for packing with his lunches!

For covid times: these Gap masks are Hendrik's preferred ones in terms of how they feel on, and I am happy with the fit and the price (okay, and the fun fabrics). He has been practicing wearing them at home while watching tv or playing, for increasing amounts of time, so that he is ready to wear them full days of school. And actually we already kept a mini hand sanitizer in his lunch box last year, since at that point they didn't guide kids to wash their hands immediately before lunch - I expect that to be different this year, but still will always have the bottle in his lunch box or backpack!

I have to say that doing this prep, as well as having some talks with Hendrik about how safety protocols will work and how this year will be a bit different at school in general, has helped me feel a bit more at ease. Though I'm very happy he will have some time with his peers, I still have some anxiety and sadness related to our decision - but now that it's made, working on the aspects of it that I can actually control help me (and him) feel ready to go. 

I feel for all the teachers and the parents out there making the hard decisions and/or feeling the anxiety right now, and I hope you can all find the setups that work best for your family's needs, sanity, and safety!