First Day of Lessons

It must be the teacher in me, because I still get excited for the first day of school--or in our case, lessons. And an exciting day definitely deserves its own tradition!

It started on the first day of our second year of homeschooling, when I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I've made some kind of cinnamon sweet treat ever since. Depending on his work schedule, Tom sometimes helps. He's the one who started scone baking (that's another story altogether), so many first-day scones have been made over the years. 

I would also make a place mat for each child. Here's where my "you don't have to be artistic or creative to pull off traditions" comes in. I'd simply type each child's name, grade, and maybe a comment, and print the placemat. Then I'd get out my crayons and color each mat with that child's favorite colors. After a year or two, I started adding a little surprise school supply next to their plates. 

Easy. 

I probably shouldn't admit this, but when Ida moved to Louisville a few years ago, I sent her a place mat for her first day of training at the ballet. I did so again her second year, but then I decided her days of first-day place mats had come to an end.

This year, I am down to one place mat, but that doesn't make me sad; it makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. Two homeschoolers down, one to go! Each season is precious--those with a place mat and those without.