I cannot believe that in two weeks, I will have a FIRST grader! Our lives, in our home will change drastically! My little one, has NEVER been in school for a full day! So, now after six years of waking up anytime from 9am to noon – we now have to incorporate a serious bed time routine. No more cuddles at 6am, when Daddy heads to work, or lazy days until noon. It’s school time now!
On those rainy, not-so-fun for kids days, I tried to accomplish our back-to-school shopping sprees. Kelsey and I went to Fairlane Town Center, on a few different occasions. We were able to get her some much needed clothing for her uniform, 2 new pairs of dress shoes, and a pair of tennis shoes! We have almost finished our back – to – school shopping, have you? If not, or you have a few last minute items to add – I have the perfect opportunity for you and your children!! Fairlane Town Center has offered the readers here, at Detroit Mommies, from MICHIGAN ONLY (SORRY) a chance to win $200.00 worth of goodies to help get your kids ready for school! The giveaway includes a $100 Fairlane Town Center gift card that can be used at any one of the Center’s more than 160 stores, shops and specialty services, AND a backpack filled with $100 in school supplies!!!! When the giveaway ends, the items will be shipped right to your door step, how convenient is that??!!!
If you are from Michigan, and you have not shopped at Fairlane Town Center located in Dearborn or haven’t been there in a while, you can find out anything you need to know, by heading to their website or their Facebook page.
DIRECTIONS TO ENTER: You MUST be a Michigan resident in order to enter & ages 18 or older at the time of entry. All entry requirements must be completed to be eligible to win. Any incomplete entries will be rejected. Detroit Mommies is not responsible for any late or misdirected prize fulfillment. One winner will be selected and notified via email. If a winner does not respond within 24 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen
STEP 1: Please comment BELOW describing a funny back-to-school story you had as a child or with a child. (MANDATORY)!!!
STEP 2: For an additional entry, please head to Fairlane Town Center’s website, and NAME ONE STORE that is a MUST for back-to-school shopping in your family!!!
Winner will be randomly chosen on Random.org, on video!! Giveaway ENDS on Monday, September 2, 2013 at 11:59pm. Winner will be contacted on Tuesday, September 3, 2013.
CONGRATULATIONS, Comment #25 Jennifer H.
GOOD LUCK!!!
My daughters and I love the children’s place and then heading to glitter to accessorize their new outfits.
My funniest back to school memory was rushing to get to the bus in excitement and forgetting my glasses. Made for a blurry and interesting day.
My must shop store at Fairlane is Sears! We love that store!
My first day of kindergarten did not go so well. After my mom left, I escaped the room and chased her car down the road with my teacher and principal hot on my tail. They eventually caught me and took me back to the school. My son had a much better experience, thank goodness! I can only imagine how awfully mom must have felt seeing my chasing her down in her rear view mirror!
Children’s place is a must for my 3 girls, Fantastic prices and vibrant colors!
My daughter was in 3 year preschool and couldn’t wait to meet her teacher on that first day. However, when we got to school she complained of a belly ache and started to look unwell. Within 2 minutes my poor little one threw up all over not only herself but a little bit on the teacher. I felt terrible for my daughter and her teacher. Luckily she did feel better by the time we got home and my hubby stayed behind to clean up. What a first day!
On Abby’s first day of pre-school, I took a million pictures if her!! At home, getting in the car, in front if the building, in front if her locker and class door, in the room and with her teacher. A couple years later, looking through them again, I noticed that the one in front if the school had her yet-to-be-met best friend also taking pictures in the background. Here it is, 6 years later, and they are still friends!! Amazing what you can find in pictures!!!
My must stop store for back to school is DSW. Love the selection and prices they offer for everyone in the family.
My funny back to school moment is when I started teaching Kindergarten after I had taught third grade. I had sat down to address my students for the first time. When I asked a question, all of the kids starting blurting out answers. It was obvious that I had to calm them down and give clearer instructions. I explained that before they gave their answer, they had to raise their hands first. So, I asked my question again, and instead of the kids blurting the answers out, they were all blurting their answers out with their hands in the air. Oh the joys of Kindergarteners.
I used to teach kindergarten and one year on the first day of school, as the kids were piling in, I had them sit down on the rug so I could take attendance. As everyone knows, the first day of school, especially kindergarten, can get quite chaotic! Once all (I had assumed) the children were seated and sitting quietly, I looked up as a sweet little girl seemed to appear out of nowhere. I said, “Hi there! Where did you come from?” She replied, “China.” (She was Asian). I know this isn’t a typical back-to-school story but I had to share because it always stuck out in my mind 🙂
My parents always insisted on doing our first day of school pictures on our front porch right before we left for school- I was always SO embarrassed as other kids walked by (we lived on the same block as the school) and saw my parents snapping away!!!! Our MUST HAVE store is Children’s Place!!!!!!!
My son (now 8) was sent home on his first day of 3-year-old preschool with a note: “Please tell your son — he has to do crafts.” We had to go out, buy a bunch of craft kits and get him excited about sitting with the teacher. Here, she thought she was giving him this great one-on-one time … and he was mad because she was interrupting his play! To this day, he still doesn’t like “crafts.”
My must-stop places are H&M (great prices for trendy, high quality items), JC Penney (awesome prices, be sure to check out clearance stuff), and the Body Shop (I love their grapefruit scent… gotta be stocked up for the year!)
When I was in 2nd grade, I was a fairly quiet, smart kid, one of the smallest in my class. I never ever got in trouble… until I did. I got in trouble for standing on a table when the teacher turned her back. I did it because I “wanted to see what it was like to be tall”! Standing on the table (especially while wearing a jumper) apparently was frowned upon!
My Funny story that myself and my daughter will never forget… My daughter was so excited for her first day of school. We opted for a Catholic school since my husband and I are both Catholic and both came from a Catholic school upbringing. Being new to this school, and new to the area. I spent weeks preparing for my daughters first day of school. I looked over the dresscode and over bought x 2 making certain I had enough of everything plus those extras just in case. The night before I looked to see what the temperature was going to be and discovered it would be ungodly hot for her first full day. She looked so adorable in her plaid jumper and peter pan collared blouse but I thought since it was going to be hot, I should probably put her in shorts for that first day. The morning of, I got her dressed in the shorts, the gym shirt and bobby socks and shoes. We took pictures and posted them on FB. My husband and I drove her there and she was just so nervous not knowing anyone and this all being so new. We pulled in and I looked around in shock and didn’t no whether to cry or laugh at the terrible mistakle I had obviously just made. Every little girl was in her jumper with her peter pan collared blouse…..and every boy was dressed just like my Allie, navy blue shorts and gym shirt. Of course it was too late to turn back and go home and change. Allie looked around nervously. My husband looked at me, you know the look…the one that says you messed up! I immediately blurted out “I think I must have looked at the dress code wrong!” My husbands response, “You think?” We brought her up tp the school said our tender goodbyes and goodlucks for the day. That whole day my stomache was in knots. All I kept thinking was how I have ruined and scarred Allie for life. Finally the time came to pick her up. She walked out with a big smile on her face and said ” Mommy, you silly mommy messed up and put me in the wrong clothes.” With that statement with her complete beautiful full belly laugh she and I both laughed and laughed! As guilty and upset I was over what I thought was a life scarring, she thought nothing of it other than her mom just being her mom:-)
On my first day of school as a first grader, I tripped when being introduced by the teacher. I started school in the middle of the year due to a relocation by my parents. I felt so humiliated. The teacher mispronounced my name and the students were laughing hysterically. It took a few months before I felt comfortable and made some friends. Cliques had already been formed by the children who knew each other since pre-kindergarten. Luckily, the teacher, Mrs. Clancy, was very attentive and sensitive. She knew how to bring out the best in me, overlook the bad, and appreciate the good. As an assignment, we all had to list ten compliments about a student sitting next to us and this helped to raise my self-esteem. The girl next to me was “popular” and portrayed me as a “perfect person.”
I definitely will be spending some money at the Children’s Place.
My funniest memory related to first day of school was my mom dropping me off at college for the first time. I was so excited and happy to be starting college and she was sobbing. Totally didn’t get it them, but now that I have kids of my own I understand. The funny thing is that I was only 45 minutes away and still came home at least every other weekend.
I would have to say DSW would be one of the stores that we could not go without for school shopping! 🙂 That and Macy’s!! 😀
At my son’s preschool orientation, I was walking in and saw his teacher.. she looked so familiar but I just could not put my finger on where I knew her.. she looked at me and went “OMG Jennifer Barnes ~my maiden name~” His preschool teacher was a good friend from high school!!! It was great 😀
Well, its not really funny, but I think its pretty neat. I live now in the same city I grew up in. My daughter went to the same elementary school I did, she now attends the same middle school I did. Though the teachers have changed, I get this deja vu feeling everytime I go in the schools — it smells the same — it sends me back to my youth!
As to the place to shop, my daughter loves Claire’s…for all those fun accessories!
Back to school shopping is not complete until we visit the Land’s End department of Sears and Children’s Place.
My funniest back to school stories usually involved my hair but my mother’s favorite story to tell is when she went to parent night and was reading all the stories about what the kids wanted to be when they grew up. Most wanted to be doctors, airline pilots, etc. Mine said “when I grow up I want to be a waitress at the Holiday Inn just like my mom’s friend….”. I thought it was SO cool but later found out that was not the case.
My family loves alot of stores at Fairlane Town Center but one store we have to go into on every visit is Justice. My daughter absolutely loves it. Also, I love to shop at JC Penney for school clothes, they have great prices and cute clothes.
Last year preparing for my daughter’s first day of school, we had gone to the school a few weeks earlier to see the class assignment list. We always look to see what teacher it is and which or her friends is in her class. Well on the first day we approached the class and the entry was decorated with a cute fall theme & the room filled with supplies, the teacher was really nice & she had a few friends in there. It turns out there had been some switching and she was moved to another class that didn’t have a teacher yet, the room sterile and she knew no one. The look on her face was priceless!
Eventually after a week or so, a teacher was assigned, she met new friends and the year turned out great.
When I was starting the 5th grade, wanted to be early to the bus stop on the first day in order to “claim” a good seat on the bus for the year. Mi was so early I accidentally got on the bus to the Jr. high insteed and had to have my parents pick me up to drive me to school. I was lat for my first day… 🙁
For me? THE BODY SHOP!!! A great first day of school “gift” for me when they get on that bus. I love everything in that store!
My story is about my oldest daughter. It was her first day of first grade, she was stoked! We got her everything new, clothes, shoes, lunchbox, school supplies and everything. We took pictures, LOTS of pictures. When we went there were kids, but they seemed smaller and no big kids. Come to find out, it was NOT the first day of school for her (or the older kids) but for kindergarten students only! She was so upset and busted out crying. She made me call school the next day to make sure her class was meeting! Bad mom moment!
I love children’s place
In 4th grade my friend and I thought it would be funny to pretend to be each other . We had the teacher confused for awhile
I LOVE H & M at Fairlane for their kids clothes!
One funny( yet embarrassing) back to school story took place when I was just starting high school. I had just moved back to Michigan from Florida the summer before high school. I hadn’t really made many friends in the neighborhood yet but I knew a few kids. Our school was within walking distance so I saw a good group of kids walking to school each day. The very first week of school, I was hustling to catch up with some of the kids I got to walking with and WHAM slipped and fell on my rear. Right on the corner, right in front of everyone. I was MORTIFIED!! Looking back now it is pretty funny but to my 15 yr old self….it was the end of my life.
I grew up going to Fairlane (remember the ice arena and monorail to the hotel?) and go there often. We always have good luck at Sears as well as The Children’s Place, JCP, and Macy’s. My kids always get me to buy them hot pretzels when we are there too.
A few years ago I took my son back-to-school shopping at JC Penney. I didn’t realize that he wasn’t wearing any underwear until I took him into the dressing room to try on several pairs of pants. I sure hoped that the customers who bought the pants that didn’t fit my son washed them first. 😉
My brother and I used to have a pet skunk. For our first day of school, my mother used to dress us in matching t-shirts that had a picture of a skunk that said I’m a little stinker
I was a nervous wreck the first day of middle school! I though at any moment I was going to throw up. We had locker combinations and I knew I was going to forget my combination or where my locker was located. By 4 th hour I wanted to just crawl in a hole. I got myself so worked up that I not only forgot my combination but where my locker was. So, instead of looking like a “fool” and ask someone, I hid in the bathroom for the next 3 hours til it was time to go home! Not a good day at all! But, I survived And returned the next day with my combination and locker number written on my arm!
My daughter LOVES Justice!
We lived right down the street from our school. When my brother finished his first day of kindergarten he got on the bus to come home..he was a ” walker” not a ” busser”. When he didnt walk how with the other kids from school, my mom and dad freaked out. The cAlled the school and the police. When the bus driver dropped all the kids off, he saw one little boy still sitting in the back of the bus. He asked him where he lived and my brother said right down the street from the school. The bus pulled up to my house, with my mom crying and police standing around. My brother got off the bus and said ,” what’s the big deal? I wanted a bus ride!” Lol. Kids will be kids! Would love a gift card and prize to start our school year..supplies are expensive!
On my daughters first day of 3’s preschool the parent or parent had to stay. But she wanted to be a big girl, she said “mom, do you have to stay! She had never been with a babysitter or daycare. She was all grown up!
A must to go to for back-to-school shopping for us from Fairlane Shopping Mall would be H&M! Love that store, especially for kids!
My above comment did not describe a funny story. I didn’t see that part of the instruction. Oops! Funny story I tell a lot about myself is when I was in second grade and the teacher was always a meanie about letting us use the restroom. I wasn’t feeling good and I had went up to her desk and asked her to go to the bathroom and of course, she said no. i tried again and she still said no and no sooner did she say no did I throw up all over her desk!!! I know, Gross, but she got what she had coming to her, I guess. Lol!