Back To School Lessons {Giveaway!}

We’re down to mere weeks before Mineola elementary schools starts and it’s hard to believe. On the one hand, YAY SCHOOL! Our town offers public pre-k , so Evan will be going 5 mornings a week. On a bus. Apparently typical four year olds are better at public transportation than I am, since I barely managed to catch the bus in high school, let alone pre-K. On the other hand, 5 days a week is a lot of school. And it never really goes back – it gets worse. Next year he’ll have full day kindergarten, followed by 12 YEARS of school at least 180 days a year. It almost makes me want to keep Caroline home instead of sending her back to preschool.

Almost. But not really, since going to doctor’s appointments alone is an indulgence I can’t live without anymore. Although I haven’t officially registered her at all, so I hope there’s a spot at her current program. File that under Things I Always Forget To Take Care Of In A Timely Manner, although that file might be kind of full since Find Out When Evan’s Classroom Orientation Is, Buy School Uniforms, Get A Copy Of The School Supply List, and Update Both Kids’ Health Forms are already in there.

I learned a lot of lessons in the last year at preschool: Never underestimate a child’s talent for getting paint on the ONE outfit you like best. Putting a note in a backpack does not mean the teacher will get it, ever. And label everything. LABEL. EVERYTHING.

Last year I relied on my shoddy memory and the availability of a Sharpie to label all the kids’ stuff. We lost a lot of cups. I also got a lot of “Just a reminder! Smiley Face!” notes home when I forgot, and nothing makes me feel worse than Smiley Face! notes from the teachers. Might as well write “Failing As A Mother! Smiley Face!” on them.

This year, I’m getting a little help from Stuck on You. They have a huge selection of products you can personalize – not just labels, but pretty much anything you can imagine. They sent me a family starter pack (with 2 kids, everything gets shared) and it is faaaaantastic.

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Shoe labels that stick in the heels – this picture was taken right after I stuck them in. I wasn’t 100% convinced they were going to stay but after a week of hard wear (including leaving them out in the rain) they still look exactly like that.

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Mini/pencil labels on our sippies spotted out in the wild! This one has been through the dishwasher several times already.

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Perfect for summer school lunches!

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Iron in clothing labels. LOOOOOOOVE. Once I got the hang on it (stick a towel under the jacket/shirt so you can press down nice and hard) it took 5 minutes to knock out every fall coat and sweatshirt. BOOM.

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These have been in for a week. Notice how you can still read them?! Amazing. PLUSALSO, they use non-toxic eco-friendly inks.

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These are some well-labeled children right here: lunches, cups, folders, shoes, and sweatshirts.

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If I was really smart, I’d order another set with my phone number on it and stick them on all Caroline’s favorite toys and dolls, so when she leaves them at the beach/aquarium/mall/playground/library there’s a chance we could get them back.

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She likes that idea.

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Sigh. This is what happens when I say “Make a cute face!” It has nothing to do with labels, except that I’m labeling her a weirdo.

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The gingers say “What are you waiting for?! These labels are the coolest!”

To help you get ready for school, Stuck On You has two $20 gift certificates to give to my readers! Just leave a comment telling me what you’re doing to get ready for the school year to enter for a chance to win. And definitely go check out their site, they’ve got everything from place mats to puzzles. You’ll be stuck on them (ba-dum-ching!)

Disclaimer: Stuck On You gave me a family pack of labels so I could try them out. No other compensation was provided and I swear I really, really love these labels. One entry per family. Two winners will be chosen using Random.org on August 14th and contacted via email so please use a real one.

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22 Responses to “Back To School Lessons {Giveaway!}”

  1. Therese says:

    We are prepping for our first year! I think we have everything but school shoes so far.

  2. Megan Dawe says:

    I have done nothing. Oh wait, I did register Amelia for ballet. Does that count? I didn’t label anything last year until I realized that another little girl had the same backpack. Oops.

  3. Kristin says:

    These are so cool! My son (oldest) will be in kindergarten in less than 2 weeks and we’ve never done preschool or formal school at all so this is big. Thank goodness there’s no bus or I would just lose it! We have all the school supplies, all the uniforms, a backpack, and lots of excitement, but I still need to get him a lunch box. And prepare my heart!

  4. Erin says:

    As of yet I’m getting absolutely nothing ready. Luckily I have a whole extra month. Mine doesn’t start until almost mid September. I am overwhelmed with how adorable the cute little kids in pre-k school uniforms is going to be though :)

  5. Angie says:

    My daughter starts school next week. I have all of her supplies and a brand new backpack and lunch bag. She has new tap shoes and jazz shoes but still needs ballet shoes. New clothes, new shoes, new tights, new leotards…my kid has grown like crazy this summer. The only thing I am not prepared for…my child’s first day at school with the “big kids.”

  6. Kimberly says:

    Toy labels with a phone number is BRILLIANT!
    We learned our lesson with labels last year when another boy went home with JD’s winter coat & then we didn’t have one when I picked him up (of course on a day that we had a million things to do).

  7. Lacey says:

    I have a year or two before we put her in Pre-K, but I’m preparing this year by reading all of these informative back to school blog posts. :P

  8. Fionnuala says:

    Shopping! How did they live with all this stuff before school?!

  9. Megan B says:

    OMG I guess I need to get on this and go ahead and buy a backpack!! My BAYBEEEE!!! But I clearly need some labels too.

  10. Robyn says:

    We’re not doing school yet, so I’m not really getting ready for anything, but…these labels would still be awesome for daycare, since Rory’s BFF has mistakenly taken home some her stuff already and I’m too awkward to ask for it back!

  11. Abigail says:

    Oh we could really use these!! We are in a constant state of shopping planning and organizing to get ready for this fall!

  12. Kristi says:

    Since I am a teacher and my kids go the daycare and preschool at my school, I am busy trying to stock up their gear. They need changes of clothes, wipes, sunscreen, blankets and pillows in their cubbies so it all has to be organized and LABELED would be nice!!!

  13. What am I doing to get ready for school? Oh, I don’t know. FREAKING OUT BECAUSE MY BABY IS STARTING PRESCHOOL AND WHEN DID HE GET OLD ENOUGH TO GO TO PRESCHOOL SOMEONE HAND ME A PAPERBAG!

    I’m sorry. What was the question?

  14. Abbey says:

    School here starts next week. With 3 toddlers (oldest is 3) I still haven’t decided where to send my oldest. Thank goodness he has an extra year of prek built in since he’s a fall birthday!

  15. emily says:

    My daughter is just beginning preschool/daycare at age 2.5! We are about to be knee deep in labeling, I’d love to have these.

  16. desiree says:

    Shopping, shopping, shopping! Lunchbox & new fall jammies set, now to pick out new shoes for H!

  17. Amy says:

    I have done nothing (yet) to get ready for school. Luckily we don’t start until September.

  18. Kristie says:

    Trying to get a schedule prepared!

  19. Jen F (from Robinson) says:

    Oh shit. We just signed her up for preschool today. So… nothing.

  20. Julie S. says:

    I need to clean out the pantry, get the summer clothes moved and get Brayden’s school supplies. It is sneaking up on me FAST!

  21. Sidnie says:

    We’re cleaning out closets and organizing toys. We knocked out the back to school shopping lists tonight, and I’m so thankful that’s over with!

  22. Jennifer Young says:

    We are buying school supplies, new shoes, a few new outfits and practicing waking up early!

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