With the start of the school year upon us, we’ve all been inundated with a slew of “First Day of School” photos. Children posed in front of their entry door, in front of their school statue, near some pretty flowers. They are probably smiling and wearing something cute, be it a uniform or a brand new outfit. Their shoes have never been worn before. Their hair is brushed. Their teeth are brushed. And they may or may not be holding some kind of sign commemorating and proclaiming THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
This is how our sweet children always look, right?
I’m all in on this tradition. I take these same photos of my own four kids every year. And I am glad that I have them for posterity’s sake because, after all, they grow so fast . This moment in time may appear picture perfect, but there’s an often brutal reality behind the scenes of these treasured photos.
First of all, it’s the First day of school. After a few straight months of staying up later than usual and sleeping in, you’re up early. And I mean really early. (I was lamenting the first day of school wake up for at least a week prior.) No one wants to be running behind on the first day, and you need to allot some time for those precious first day of school photos.
Secondly, you’re jarred back into that morning routine. Getting yourself ready, helping the kids get ready, making breakfast, packing snacks, and making sure that everyone has their school supplies, snack, water, sweater, and of course helping your daughter take off her nail polish at the last second because NAIL POLISH IS NOT ALLOWED AT SCHOOL. And don’t forget to remind them all to brush their teeth. None of those kids in those first day of school photos have dragon breath, right?!
After everyone is fed, cleaned up, dressed, and packed up, you usher them outside for some photos. Usually, you’ll have some willing participants, or at least some that can go with the flow for a few minutes. In my house though, there is always at least one who cannot and will not cooperate. (And yes, 9 times out of 10 it’s the same one.)
The honest truth is that behind each and every one of those social media posts with chipper, clean, tidy kids holding their sweet First Day of School signs, there is almost certainly a progression that looks something like this…
Starting goofy…And then suddenly insulted…Big sister with a glare of condemnation…
Pouting…a couple of them slowly coming around…
Mocking big sister…Back to goofing off…
…And you really don’t want to know what it took for me to finally get them to laugh.
Voila! The final product is all you saw on social media, but you completely missed the backstory. I ultimately prevailed for yet another year, but that battle was hard fought and it sure ain’t pretty behind the camera!
