Fear and Parenting Reviews: The Back to School Edition – Part I

Boo is heading off to her first “real school” this fall. Granted, it’s only Pre-K, but it’s the school (Ye Olde Catholic School – hereinafter YOCS) that she’s going to be at for the next 10 years. When you’re four, 10 years may as well be 100.

We had registration last week and now we’re officially in the “back-to-school” season. Uniforms, tuition, milk money, before and after care, parent handbooks, fundraisers…it’s all starting to make my head spin a bit. Homer was a Catholic school kid, but I wasn’t. This is all a bit new to me – both as a mom and as a first-time Catholic school parent.

I’m guessing other Vegas moms and dads (and parents in other cities and towns) are dealing with some of the same issues. So, I’m giving the Catholic school virgin’s version of Cool Mom Picks for Vegas. Here’s some of the local resources and recommendations I have based on my experiences this year. There are about 10 or so topics I’m going to cover, so I’m breaking this up into multiple posts.

Feel free to add in your picks and advice in the comments. The more, the better.

(Note: This is the “after” shot. Notice my handsome man in his hot ride after his first cut. Look out ladies!)

1. The haircut.
Don’t wait until the weekend before school to get the new do. The salon/barber shop is going to be a madhouse. Besides, you’re probably going to need a few days to figure out how to style it and how long it’ll take you (or your kid, if they can do their own hair) to do in the morning so you can plan your wake-up time appropriately. If you’re in Vegas, I highly recommend Cool Cuts for Kids on West Sahara. Your kid can play video games or watch movies while getting their hair cut – a key element for my squirmers. The wait’s usually not bad if you get their early (If you’re going in on a weekend, call ahead and make an appointment, you can walk in, but you may be in a holding pattern for awhile).

Mr. Jack gets a hand (or a hold) from Homer. Sometimes the Wiggles just aren’t enough to keep the boy still.

Jack and Jodi are the main stylists at the shop and they’ve been cutting my kids’ hairs since there were hairs long enough to cut. Jack is your quintessential barbershop guy. Friendly, personable, and remembers your name (even though we’re there only once every three months or so). What’s cooler is that he can get your kid started on the video game and give him/her tips without cutting his/her ears off. Jodi just took four inches off Boo’s locks and she loves it. Jodi also gets Doodle to calm down and tames the cowlick from hell. Now, if I could only get it to stay down. Hmmm. Would crazy glue be a bad idea?

I know, Doodle. The cowlick makes me cry, too.

2. Uniforms.
Since Boo’s in Pre-K we get an easy year in the uniform department. The little ones wear the PE stuff (I’m guessing for comfort and easy bathroom access for late bloomers). It’s great for me – no fights over what to wear, but I’m waiting for Boo to realize that she won’t be wearing pink dresses, fingernail polish, her button bracelet, or any hair accessory that isn’t the school’s colors on a Monday through Friday for the next 10 years.

Shopping tip: Find a parent of a kid who already goes to the school. Ask them what they will REALLY use throughout the year and how much. We have a summer and winter uniform, but since it doesn’t get below 80 until sometime in late October (if we’re lucky), we can wait and get the cold-weather gear then. Also, see if your school has a uniform swap day. You can probably pick up stuff in good condition from other parents who begrudgingly shelled out for the next size up back in April, and the summertime growth spurt has left them scrambling. If you have to buy new, see if you can order from the vendor before they come to the campus to sell their wares. They’ll usually just bring your order to the school, saving you the hassle of fighting for the last 6x jumper or digging through piles of sweats to find a pair that are long enough, but will stay snug around the waist (no bad moons rising, please!). When you get there, you can do a quick try-on, exchange what doesn’t fit and be on your way in half the time.

3. The purses.
It’s all about the bags – lunchboxes and backpacks. We were fortunate that a friend gifted Boo an awesome, sturdy, personalized backpack with her name embroidered on it a few years ago. It’s pink, so she loves it, of course. I think it came from Pottery Barn Kids. She’s used it for the last year at preschool and it still looks as new as the day she got it. I think it’ll last her a couple more years, since I don’t expect her to be bringing home encyclopedias for homework for her first few years.

I wish I could say we had the same sense and sensibility about the lunchbox situation. We looked at Lands End and other retailers recommended by Cool Mom Picks, but Boo would have nothing of it. She insisted on a Barbie lunchbox (Target, $5.99). Ugh. Barbie and I don’t have a great track record and I hate contributing to the Mattel Industrial Complex, but I’ve got to pick my battles these days. I’m putting my foot down about Hannah Montana. Fortunately, she picked out a cute purse-like lunch bag. It’s pink (of course) and has cell-phone shaped pockets. A good size for a cereal bar and a juice for an after-school snack. I doubt it’ll last through to next year, but it’s a battle I’m willing to lose.

We’ll that’s enough ranting for now. Come back later, there’s plenty more ahead.