Shutter Sisters

first day of school

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Whether they just turned 4 and are starting preschool, or are young adolescents about to experience emotional and physical transitions, the first day of school is always a special moment for children and parents. Documenting this day every year helps me let go of all feelings of anxiety and fear, and just bask in gratitude, hope and pride.

How about you? Do you capture the first day of school of your kids? If yes, share your image with us today. And if you’re not a parent, please share a story of one of your first days of school in the comment section below. (On my first day of school, I forgot my bag at home. Almost 30 years later, I still wake up in sheer panic in the middle of the night the day before school starts!)

We are giving away one $100 Paper Coterie gift card EVERY SINGLE DAY of September! Share a comment each day before midnight EST for your chance to win that day’s random drawing. Be sure to leave links to your story shots.

Comments

  2. What a sweet question… I am not a mother, but I still remember the horror of when I got a boy haircut around the age of 7 or 8. I did not look or feel like myself and was embarrassed to even go to school. I even put a bow on my almost hairless head so my new classmates would know that I'm a girl. I'm chuckling as I remember this…

  3. I don't have many memories of my school days. I was very shy and children can be pretty mean. I remember I used to sit on a tree, talking to myself, on the playground. I changed school many times, it just happened that way, so I don't have friends from that time.

  5. I have no real specific memory of the first day of school, just very strong general feelings of excitement and glee 🙂

  6. No specific memories of any given time, I just remember feeling nervous, excited and hopeful at the start of primary school, high school and uni – didn't matter whether I was 5 or 18, those feelings were still the same.

    And actually, as an adult starting a new job can invoke those same feelings!

  9. From my photo on Flickr on Sept 7, 2011: Today, my son started 4th grade at a new school. I couldn't sleep last night and this morning, as he walked away from me, I got all teary-eyed. I will feel scattered and nervous all day until I see his beautiful, brave face this afternoon. Letting go is the hardest thing ever.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/50654891@N07/6125667271/

  10. I had a love/hate relationship with school – I was extremely shy and always found it hard to face a new crowd of people every year, but I loved books and learning and most especially paper and brand new supplies!!!

  14. My daughter has started Senior Kindergarten this year! I have pics (of course!), though not posted yet.

    I think I always liked going back to school and seeing friends and classmates again. I grew up in the country so there was that two-month span every summer when I essentially saw no one outside my family.

  17. I sent my son, who is in the autism spectrum to his first day of high school. Socially, he struggles. He walked to his first day of highschool alone. Talk about courage, mine and his. My hope for him as he left the house was that just one person would reach out to him. Turns out that a group of girls (the pretty, popular girls) called out to him, and asked if he wanted to walk with them. I will never forget their kindness. It was a small thing, but it made a huge difference in my son's first day.

  19. I always was so excited for the first day of school. A nervous excitement though. I would get a little antsy in the last few months of summer, and had a blast picking out all the new school supplies! I have a picture (not on my computer to share unfortunately) my mom took of me on my first day of preschool. I have a bright blue and pink dress on, hair in pigtails with pink ribbons, sitting on the stairs of our house with a huge smile on my face 🙂

  22. I feel the same "pressure" as most parents to capture that first day of school, to preserve that moment when your child is setting off to something new! Now if I could just find the time to get those pics from a few weeks ago off my camera and onto my computer…

  25. I always loved the excitement of the first day of school when I was young and hoped i instilled that in my daughters. I took their pictures on the first day of school every year and now my eldest is taking pictures of her children on the first day of school…I was there when the school bus dropped off my grandson at the end of his first day in first grade:)
    http://threeos.blogspot.com/2011/09/6-september.html

  29. My son started a new school last week. It's been quite a smooth transition and I am so happy that's enjoying himself. He switched from a Montessori elementary to a traditional school. I am over the moon happy that he loves the school. Lucky us and him!

  30. The night before my first day day of Jr. High I was sleeping in my little sisters room as our grandparents were visiting and using my room. I had been asleep when noises in the kitchen woke me up. So I jumped in the shower to get ready for school and before I fired up the hair dryer my mom was knocking on the door asking me what I was doing? I answered "getting ready for school".. she informed me that it was 11:45 PM and I was to go back to bed. That was 30 years ago and the memory always makes me smile.

  31. I don't remember much about the first day of school other than being hot from overdressing in my new fall clothes…and maybe coming home and covering my new books…

    My four and final child started full-day Kindergarten this year….my only daughter. She was so ready to go. She has no concept yet of clothing labels and unfortunately gets her fashion sense from me. My good friend came over and gave her a 'princess hairdo' with little clips. I knew that pertty hair-do wouldn't last.

    Here she is before the bus took her…smiling sweetly and put together

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29333822@N07/6151635688/

    And her she is after she got off the bus….smiles galore and a total mess

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29333822@N07/6151086343/

    It was a great start!!

  38. Last year was their first year in school after homeschooling their whole lives. Last year I was way too busy getting them ready to take a photo. I made sure it happened this year, but this was the first time:

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