A Second Hallmark Back-to-School Giveaway!
My daughter is now officially a kindergartner and a new era has begun.
I have to admit, the first day wasn't easy. I held it together as I showed her around her new classroom, attended the Boo Hoo breakfast for parents in the cafeteria (at which I neither booed, nor hooed, to my credit), and returned home with my husband and son.
But the moment my husband went upstairs for a few minutes, the dam burst. I cried. And it wasn't a dab-at-my-eyes-with-a-dainty-hanky cry. It was a full-on break-up cry. And I realized that it actually felt a little like a break up. My daughter and I were no longer a pair. She had moved on, and I was the one left behind at home with a bunch of dolls and broken toys.
That was last week. This week, I'm fine, for one simple reason. Punky has come home from school each day flushed and excited, yammering non-stop about all that she's learned. In other words, she's blooming, and how can I be sad when I see that happening? She was truly ready for kindergarten, and that means I need to be ready to loosen the apron strings, just a tiny bit.
Going back to school is an exciting, fun and sometimes, hectic time. To calm the butterflies and build your kids' confidence, Hallmark has put together this great resource to encourage moms like you. Just for sharing a bit of advice, you'll be entered to win a prize package valued at $500! Check it out!
And Hallmark was so impressed with your responses to my last Hallmark back-to-school post that they are letting me give away a $50 Hallmark Gold Card to one lucky Suburban Turmoil reader, right here and now! Leave a comment here with a memory from your child's very first day of school between now and Friday, August 28th at midnight, CST. Be sure to include your e-mail address in the comment, so that I can contact you if you've won.
Good luck!
Disclosure: This post and giveaway sponsored by Hallmark, through Real Girls Media.
36 Comments:
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My son isn't of school age yet, but I remember vividly my first day of school. Oh the crying and the clinging, and more crying. Then my mom left and I was directed to the play stations. Whoa! This school stuff wouldn't be half bad after all.
Sorry forgot my address:
notsodeepthoughts78@gmail.com
I send cards all the time, for any reason. If the sun comes, that's reason enough for me to lick a stamp and send the very best of cards to a friend. For me, there are no other cards than HALLMARK!
SnookieQ at AOL dot com
my daughter (and last child) just left for college 350 miles away. and i think it's so fun to get snail mail in their world of emails and texts. so i'd be pleased as punch to win!!
Darn, I don't have a child, and I can't remember my first day of school. But you can pick me anyway, right?! :-)
No kids, but as an ex-HS teacher...the first day of school was recently summed up by the Staples' commercial where dad is overjoyed school-supply shopping, kids bummed, and soundtrack is "It's the most wonderful time of the year..." -I felt like the kids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFsTPx5UrbA
I handled my daughter's first day of kindergarten pretty well last year (just some sniffling in the car), but my mom? Was caught peeking through the window, standing in the bushes outside the church where she had just dropped me off for preschool. My mom, the peeping tom........
chrisandbill2@sbcglobal.net
My daughter is only 18 months. But my favorite part of the first day of school was my mom making a cake and making a graham cracker "schoolhouse" on the top. She did it every year.
I don't have a kid yet, but well, my first day of school is vivid. My mom came with me and, naively, I thought she'd just stay with me all day.
Nope.
One moment she was there, and the next she was gone, gone, gone. She had done that parent technique of sneaking away while the kid is distracted, thinking I wouldn't notice. WOULDN'T NOTICE THAT MY MOM HAD LEFT ME ALONE IN THIS NEW SCARY PLACE?!?!
Anyway, the day eventually ended and I got to go home again, but that first day was a doozy.
junegirl@gmail.com
The kids haven't gone back to school here yet, that's not until next week. I guess it's legit to talk about his very first day of school ever though, right?
I cried and he ran. All around me, mothers were sobbing and looking to one other for support. The children had already ran into the school and were long gone. Gone.
What I remember most about my oldest daughter's first day of kindergarten is that her pink backpack looked so huge on her little back. She was suddenly so mature and so tiny at the same time.
MotherReader AT gmail DOT com
My DS started full day Kindergarten this year. He has been waiting for this day for years, and everyone knows this. He has watched his sister go into school for 3 years and asked over and over when he got to go. He is my last and it was hard for me, but I couldn't be sad in the face of his excitement. He was awake, dressed and backpack on before the sun was even up. LOL. It was bittersweet, but I love that he loves school.
theindy4 at sbcglobal.net
It seems that when my son first started Kindergarten, in all the talking we did about it, all the prep... I may have neglected to mention that it would be something he would do EVERY day.
So after his first day of school, he came home all excited, talking forever... until I said something about tomorrow. His response? "You mean I have to do it AGAIN?"
He didn't realize that it wouldn't be like preschool, only 2 days a week.
I believe I got the silent treatment the rest of the night.
I don't have a first day of school memory because I'm a freakin teacher and had to miss my beautiful son's first day of kindergarten last year!
I just want the $50 so I can buy birthday cards for my students! That'd be way cooler than the generic ones I had intended to get!
I will share THIS first day of school memory-first day of first grade. My son's school started the same week as my inservice week, so I didn't have to go until 9:00 this year. Since he had to get on the bus at 8:00, we got up early, just the two of us, and walked to ONE STOP here in Franklin and had a chocolate chip mickey mouse pancake for breakfast. I sense a tradition!a
This might not be very Hallmark, but as much as I'm sad that my first is starting kindergarden, it's a little inconvenient that it doesn't start until September 10th! As a full time English prof with classes that start in 4 days, I'm pretty panicked. I might be crying tears of joy when I'm finally able to go back to work! Knewman4@gmail.com
I haven't said goodbye to a child yet but I think I'd be very upset. I know when I started school, I was nervous and wanted to be with my mom...but you do get used too it and things get better.
-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
I cried the first time I heard Katie telling someone a story from her life that I didn't know because I WASN'T THERE! It's hard to go from being together all the time to missing big chunks of important experiences for hours every day.
Healthy, but hard.
katrinahopes@gmail.com
I like to buy my cards all at one time so I always have just the right card on hand. I would love to win the gift card from hallmark. They are the best
jen
Jennifer.Yantz@comcast.net
We're expecting our first child, so I can only imagine the day when they have to go off to school. I'm already dreading the day when they will start day care!
I can't ever remember crying myself for the first day of school - it was always exciting!
kelly_rose01 at yahoo dot com
thanks!
My oldest isn't in school yet but I remember the first day of daycare and how his face lit up when he saw me walk through the door - the best feeling in the world! Still is!
Hmmm, we homeschool, and that doesn't really have a start or a stop date, so, I'm kind of at a loss. I'm almost 40 and have a bad memory, so I can't even give a first day of school about myself either. She did try an Irish dance class last week, which she adored, so her first day is in 2 weeks. I think she's going to LOVE that.
On the first day of school for my daughter she held my hand tight while we walked to the entrance of the school. She was wearing a dress I had worn when I was her age and she looked adorable. She looked up at me a little uncertain but when it was time for her to let go of my hand she hugged me & said I love you, see you later..don't forget to pick me up at 2:30 ha! ha! Imagine that?! I was the one left in tears while she bravely walked through those school doors for the first time ever.
forgot to leave email address.
Suburbanstepmom@gmail.com
Oh awesome. My daughter is going into second grade, and my son is starting preschool this year. This giveaway could definitely ease the pain ;)
aroseoakley at gmail dot com
My oldest son, on his first day of kindergarten, was fine - walked in, sat down, no problem. It was the SECOND day, when he knew what was coming, that he CLUNG to my neck and cried! The teacher finally had to pick him up and tote him around on her hip for a while - thankfully she was soooo understanding, and he was fairly small for his age!
Mine is only 4 - but she loves her daycare so much, she says she will turn 5 then not get bigger so she can stay there forever
Well, I haven't had a 'first day of kindergarten' yet, but the first day of day care has been etched on my brain forever.... the teacher wrenching my sobbing daughter from my arms... the blurry drive to work... the shell-shocked little girlie I picked up at the end of the day.
I can only hope that kindergarten is better!!!
I don't have a kid, but I remember my first day of kindergarten - I got lost in the hall. :)
I don't have a kid, but I remember my first day of kindergarten. I remember crying, peeing in my pants, and trading my bologna sandwhich for a PB&J. Oh the good times!
I remember the first day of school and the bright orange dress I wore with a big red apple on the front. It was one of my favorite dresses!
Here they let parents stay for the 1st day to help the children ease into things. My youngest son spent the entire time with his head buried in my side and tears in his eyes. I felt like I did every time they had to get a shot at the doctor. It was miserable! Thankfully he's gotten over the shyness!!
Bobbienboyz@hotmail.com
I never thought that first day would be emotional, but when I took my first son to his first day, I could barely hold back the tears as I walked away from his classroom & out to the car. Then I just bawled. I was so surprised. I never thought I would cry. I was really happy for my son, but then it hits you that they are growing up. Now he is almost 16 - another major milestone. Just pray that he and his friends drive safely.
tcmcgarvey at hotmail dot com
What if I don't have a kid, but I told you a funny story about my first day of school? Actually, I don't remember much about it... but I think I was looking forward to it, and I don't remember much emotional trauma. Then again, kindergarten was only half-days for me.
kjwilli316 at gmail dot com
Honestly, my older daughter's first day of school was great! Pictures on the front steps at home and in front of the school and then she hopped off to play on the playground. No tears from her or mommy!
tulletwo@yahoo.com
We thought we were freaks taking pictures and video of my kids getting on the bus for the first day of school, until we saw parents video taping from their car following the bus all the way to school!
tuesdayef at aol dot com
I love reading first day of school stories...My son is 3 and I keep thinking that I am going to lose it when he starts school...he loves daycare...but school...wow.
Glad Punky loved it...Glad Mom is better this week :)
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