I have read many tips for moms sending their children to school for the first time. One of them was to avoid the grocery store. I think this tip is really for momโs whose children are starting in a public school.
The problem with going to the grocery store on a first day when many emotion filled moms seems to be there is the fact that they will all be crying. Every aisle could possibly be filled with teary eyed moms and seeing all those other moms crying may lead you to crying or to crying harder than you have been.
I am guessing these weeping mamas didnโt want to go home to an empty house and they decided to go someplace filled with people and maybe cross grocery shopping off their to do list.
The stores probably do a great business on that first day of school. There must be tons of impulse buying by moms walking aimlessly down the aisles. I think there must be a lot of customers purchasing opened bags of Oreos and tissue boxes that are missing several tissues. The bakery probably sells a lot of cupcakes and donuts that day. There should probably be specials on them offered to moms.
Given all the drama going on in the store. There probably should be signs setup in the parking lot reminding senior saints and everyone else outside this demographic that it is the first day school. These informed shoppers may decide to wait a day or come back later in the day. Unless they are looking for a tear duct cleanse themselves.
Another alternative might be to sequester the mourning moms in an isolated section of the store. The store could offer them coffee and doughnuts while providing them with a cooking demonstration or just place to hang out.
Maybe the moms would meet other mom friends that they could meet elsewhere for coffee and donuts in subsequent weeks.
For those of you that having school starting in your area after Labor Day consider yourself warned. The grocery store can be a very emotional place on the first day of school.
This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday!
I have never thought of that – that the grocery store will be filled with teary eyed mamas. I get what you mean and I will stay clear of grocery stores when my time comes. ๐
I read on one person’s blog that they were handing out cookies and tissues to moms where the cars were in line to do drop off.
Great post!! Didn’t even think about that.. hopefully I will never have to be in that boat!
Love the idea of a special area with donuts!
Oh my gosh, my kids are in high school now but this post rang so true for me… for when they were younger that is ; ) I actually found that going to the grocery store got me teary for the first month or so after school started. Something about seeing so many moms with their kids. The funny thing is I HATED grocery shopping with my kids!
This is funny! I never thought about it. I did notice there were several moms at the gym after drop off Monday, but they were talking about how they had until 2 pm all to themselves. They seemed to be enjoying their new found freedom.
I am a mess when I cry. So I probably would opt for home. I think I will be ok this year. But next year when she starts full day kindergarten, I am going to be a mess:)
Great idea. When my youngest started kindergarten, they had a “boo hoo” breakfast set up in the library for the mom’s. I was there and I was doing a little boo hooing!
What a fun post. Made me smile this morning.
=)
I’ve never even thought about that, but how funny!
I had no idea the grocery store could be such an emotional place on the first day of school. I’ll have to remember this when Q is older. Until then, I’ll be sure to get there and snag that doughnut discount. ๐
I never even thought of this but it makes total sense.
Haha, that’s cute! I hit up TARGET on the first day of school and stock up on 1st day of school gifts! I cry while dropping them off and then sit outside the classroom door for about 10 minutes to make sure all is well (Private school, they would let me stay all day if i wanted! lol) and then sit in the parking lot for 20 minutes drying out.
Next I hit up Target and get together gift baskets of goodies and finish just in time to hit up starbucks and drive by the school to see them at recess ๐
That’s funny! I never thought to go grocery shopping on the first day. I always went home and started working on fun surprises for the kids when they arrived back after school that day. ๐
Funny and “awww”-inspiring at the same time!
This is good to know when our time comes (preschool). But I’m really thinking about going shopping that day, if the tot lets me out of his eyes. Like shopping for clothes, shoes, mommy things, for the first time absolutely in peace. ๐
thoughtful experiences shared.
Thanks for the warning! ๐
I think there are going to be a lot of teary eyed Grandmas, too.
Or maybe it’s just me!
Thanks for a terrific post. I love the way you look at life.
Thanks for linking.
A+
In my area, it’s not the grocery stores that are filled with emotional mom’s, but the Starbucks!!
You put a smile on my face as I read this. One of my social worker friends used to say that you can never tell when your emotional bucket of tears might tip over – and the grocery store was one of the places she mentioned it frequently happening!
What a cute post.. I do remember those days.. kids off to school on the first day! Wait till they leave home 15 or so years later.. you don’t have the noise, cooking or cleaning you once had.. I’m an empty nester and I find myself wandering the grocery store for the noise but I find myself putting things back on the shelves, no one to cook for or buy snacks for.. it is something that hits a mom, Twice!
Nice post
Sandy
I like this post. We al went through these days trying not to cry. LOve T word
I went to Target on the first day of school and it was awesome. I had my toddler but it was quiet, barely any other kids, and so easy to shop.
Oh goodness, my sister sent her son for the first time too, and she is lost after coming home without him..
I’m I go to the office! I like the idea of a coffee date!
Oh dear, I remember those days well. I only really cried when my youngest went off for the entire day. It seemed so final. I had no more babies!
Ah! That was me, once. But I got over it!!
What a great warning! I never knew about this issue with moms and the first day of school.
I must have missed the sad mom memo as I didn’t go to the store- though I still have at least one kid with me after drop off so not quite the same.
I will forever avoid the grocery store now on a first day of school! I’d be crying all over the tomatoes. ๐
I’ve never heard of that concept before, but I can totally see why it would be the case. Our kindy teacher sent home little bags with a bag of tea, a tissue and a hershey’s kiss!
When my kids were all young I had a neighbor who would invite all the moms to her house on the first day of school. It was a neighborhood tradition and very enjoyable. We’d all share stories about getting the kids off to school that first day and have coffee and baked goods. It was fun…much better than the grocery store.
Love this post – what you say is so true and something I have not thought about in many, many years.
Our local schools start up tomorrow and today while in Target I witnessed some frantic last minute purchases involving Mom’s and kids…I think the Mom’s were looking forward to tomorrow – I had my hair cut today and my hairdresser can’t wait!! :o)
You can always make us smile here! I am an emotional train wreck! My high school senior did his senior portraits and I am bleary eyed trying to select the photos. A friend who does photographer for a living did a terrific job and we are not wanting to let no of this photos go!
Your post was clever!
Hugs Anne
I love this post! It catapulted me right back to when my first child started kindergarten. You’re so right on – I DID end up at the grocery store! Tomorrow is another big day – my sweet potato is starting 4 year old kindergarten. I should probably get my list together now since I’ll either end up at the store, or Starbucks.
Never thought about where the mother’s hang out after the bus leaves. I always worked…
thanks for the advice. Enjoyed your post.
☮ ♥ Siggi in Downeast Maine
My daughter starts kindergarten next year. Oreo aisle, here I come! Waaaaaaaaaah!
Many thanks for stopping by at mine!
Wishing you and your family a lovely weekend!
XOXO Lola:)
You are so right! There should be signs up to remind others what day it is….and there should be coffee and donuts or some other sweet treat served gratis……to lift moods.
What an interesting post! I’ve never noticed it teary eyed mom’s at the grocery store before….but then again, that was before I had my own child. I guess things are different in Japan since grocery stores are limited in numbers and most moms have another kid to care for by the time their oldest child starts preschool. I just know that the first day I sent E to daycare and came back to an empty home, I was crying too.
Hey…this is funny kinda in a way,I know mom’s are crying cause school is back in,but maybe the adjustment will be soon,looking on the bright side….buying some great foodies to prepare for the little people when they get home from school.
~JO
sounds like good advice. I’d probably go to the bookstore or library, and find a good magazine to look through! {:-Deb
This is a wonderful post! I have a daughter who just sent one to pre-k and one to kinder and she was a hot mess for the first few days! I think she did do some grocery shopping… I must think to ask her if she saw many weeping mommas!!
Oh my! I hadnt thought of this either! I know that I wanted to just stay for.ever at the schools when ours were little! I always wished that there were the one-way mirrors that they have in a police station for those line ups, so that we could sit and watch our kids :o)
Blessings & Aloha!
Thank you so much for your sweet comments about the art I do and about our babies :o) …now that they are grown up, I am looking forward to those future grandbabies!
Loved your post!!
Cute idea! Our oldest grandson is heading off to Junior Kindergarten next week. I’ll recommend this to my DIL!
Think I’ll avoid grocery stores on the day schools start… wait… I avoid grocery stores all the time! ๐
That’s hilarious! Although I must say I am a mom who cheers the first day of school…but I still don’t want to waste time at the grocery store! ๐
” I think there must be a lot of customers purchasing opened bags of Oreos and tissue boxes that are missing several tissues. ” BWAHAHA! So true! I have a party at my house the first day of school and we have cookies and cry!
I think the first time both of my boys went to school I bought myself a fancy coffee and got a pedicure. I figured I needed a reward :-).
Do moms really cry when their children go to school? One would think that they use the extra free time to get some things done and look forward to welcoming their children back home… That’s at least what my mom did. ๐
Greetings from Germany,
Birgit
PS: See my T post here! ๐
lol, thanks for the heads up…
i dread his first day, as i know i will cry…
heck, i cried for most of his first, so this BIG deal would be the ugly cry ๐