It's Your Son's First Day. Now What?!?!

You did the drop-off. They walked through the doors. Maybe happily. Maybe with some convincing.

And now comes the weird part.

You have absolutely no idea what’s going on.

Did they find their classroom? Do they like their teacher or rebbe? Who are they sitting next to? Did they eat their lunch? Did they talk to anyone? Are they having a good time?

There is currently no way for you to know.

So until pickup, you need a plan.

Step one: stop replaying the drop-off

They barely said goodbye.

Or they really, really did not want you to leave.

They looked nervous. They looked excited. They walked in without looking back, which somehow also gave you feelings.

None of it tells you how the rest of the day is going.

It was just thirty-two seconds of a very big day.

Find something that will actually eat up a few hours

This is not the day to sit at home and “get things done” while checking the time every 14 minutes.

Pick something absorbing.

Go into the office. Meet someone for coffee. Run the errand that takes forever (looking at you Costco) . Start a project you've been putting off. Go for a long walk with a podcast. Book an appointment (it’s eye doctor season).

Ideally, choose something that makes you look up and realize it’s somehow already 1:30.

That's the goal.

Do not drive past the school

You know who you are.

There is nothing useful to be learned from the parking lot.

Keep driving.

Prepare for pickup, not a debriefing

After spending six hours wondering what happened, you’re going to want answers.

Try not to launch into:

“How was it?”
“Who did you sit with?”
“Do you like your teacher?”
“Who did you play with?”
“Did you eat?”
“Was anyone mean?”
“Did you make friends?”

Your kid has just spent an entire day processing new people, rules, rooms and routines.

Start with food.

Have a favourite snack ready, let them decompress, and give the information a chance to come out…naturally.

Because there is a very real possibility you spent the entire day wondering about school only to get:

“How was it?”

“Good.”

“What did you do?”

“I don't know.”

Excellent. Glad we waited all day for this.

And remember, today doesn't need to tell you how the year will go

A great first day doesn't guarantee a great year.

A hard first day doesn't mean it will be a hard year.

Today is just the first day.

They walked in, at some point this afternoon, they're coming back out.

We’re all in this together!!

Want to share your thoughts? Email us at info@thetorontoscoop.com