Must-Have Back-to-School Photos

I am returning from dropping off my eighth-grader in the middle school car line for the first time this school year (don’t doubt that I had to get a parting snap of her to add to this year’s weird collection of back-to-school photos). She has been learning virtually since Labor Day, so it’s not really the first day of school, but it definitely was an exciting event for our family – learning in the classroom!

Learning this particular year looks different for all of us. Traditional school is out the window, and we have an assortment of homeschool, virtual school, in-person school, boarding school, gap years, and on and on . . . No matter what this particular school year looks like for you and you child, it’s still important to document what that reality is for you. Here are some of my must-have back-to-school photos:

This Year’s School Grade

We’ll start with the obvious back-to-school photo – what grade are your kiddos in this year? Whether it’s a piece of paper with the details scribbled on it, a beautifully hand-lettered chalkboard, or just some text overlay on your image it’s a great way to document where you are in time. If you’re feeling ambitious, add the school, your child’s teacher, what they want to be when they grow up, etc.

The Front Door

This one is timeless. By taking the same photo in the same place in the same year over the course of time, you will see just how much your kids are growing and changing. I like including details like their backpacks and lunch boxes so that you’ll remember what their style was at the time. Where did you live? How tall were the kids? Did they have braces that year? Oh THAT was her Converse phase! Wow, I can’t believe how many years that backpack lasted . . . You get the idea. This is an easy one to capture and a tradition that you may not even realize that you have already begun.

The “Classroom”

For most of us, managing the new technology has become the single highest hurdle of virtual learning. Every day I’m grateful to have to kids old enough to read who can manage their own devices, apps, emails, and passwords without much help from me. Things look different this year, and maybe they will look like this forever. Document it. What does your child’s workspace look like? Is it a corner in the basement, a playroom-turned-classroom, a crumb-covered counter in the kitchen, a nook by a window? Are they on Zoom calls in their PJ’s or do they have to wear their school uniform even at home?

Physical Education

Okay. So your kids are learning from home. Sitting at a desk for hours a day is hard enough for adults, much less the kids. Some curriculums may have PE requirements, and some may not. But one thing is certain – they will have to get out and MOVE. Don’t forget to document what your new PE routine is these days. Hours at the playground? Wiffleball in the backyard? Paddleboarding in the creek? Gymnastics with friends?

Their Favorite Subject

What is your child’s favorite subject? Is he super-into dinosaurs? Engineering with Legos? Does she light up when she writes in a journal? Or cooking in the kitchen to learn about fractions? These things probably WILL change over time, and it’s so cool to capture where they are and what they love NOW. Mine has been obsessed with outer space for years, and even though she no longer wants to be an astronaut I will never forget just how much planets and stars and rockets have been a part of our conversations. And this solar system model will probably always be on a shelf in her bedroom.

Field Trips

When I was younger, I was envious of my homeschooling friends because they always seemed to go on the BEST field trips! Logistically it’s so much easier to wrangle a handful at a museum than dozens upon dozens. For some of us, the unique aspect of virtual school will allow us to build learning experiences into more family travel. Where have you always wanted to go that you can turn into a fun, educational experience for your kids? Some of the very best learning happens outside the classroom, so don’t forget to document it!

Electives (aka The Fun Classes)

For many school districts, including non-academic electives such as chorus, art, drama, etc. is extremely challenging to do in a virtual or socially-distanced format (I’m still figuring out how these kids will be able to perform the school musical this year when they’re not supposed to sing close to one another). Allowing them to have a creative outlet at home is so important, and if they learn something and have fun that’s even better. Like many during the pandemic, my kids have been baking and cooking up a storm. My oldest even learned how to embroider on YouTube (because I was absolutely no help in that arena), and my youngest doodles on EVERYTHING, from cash register receipts to sand at the beach.

Special Events

Prom was cancelled. And the Father-Daughter dance. And big birthday bashes and weddings and on and on and on. It’s true that cancelling long-awaited events is SO disappointing! By now we all know that 2020 is a huge bummer and that we’ve had to adapt and roll with the punches. My family was in the restaurant business for decades and was ALWAYS serving others during life’s biggest holidays, so it was my grandparent’s philosophy to make our own holidays when we could and celebrate just because we were together, not because the calendar said so. And I think that’s what we must all do now . . . create our own little celebrations right in our own backyards. Turn on some music, gather up the ones you love and dance!

In Closing . . .

I realize that restrictions vary throughout the country and even change from week to week. Schooling remotely and from home and while we parents are attempting to work our jobs is challenging. My suggestions above are just that: suggestions. We are unlikely to forget this pandemic and how much it has upended our lives. But, our kids grow so quickly, and it’s only when we look BACK that we realize just how fast it goes. Document the details with these “must-have” back-to-school photos every single year so that you won’t forget any of these moments.