This newsletter is basically a round-up of life things - what I'm enjoying, reading, learning, buying, doing, thinking about, and more. Thanks for being here! đ
Hi friends! Oh my goodness I canât believe weâre already at the end of the summer. I donât know when school starts where you live, but it feels so early here in Nashville! Lucy starts kindergarten next week! As clichĂ© as it sounds, time really is flying by and itâs a very surreal and strange feeling.
As usual, I have lots of feelings. This kindergarten transition feels like A LOT. At my core, I KNOW Lucy is going to thrive. Sheâs been in a school-like environment for years and loves learning and being around others. Weâve been talking about and preparing for this for a long time and I know sheâs a little nervous, but sheâs also really excited. We talk a lot about how we can feel two things at one time. We talk a lot about being brave. Iâve often told her the story of dropping her off on her first day at her Parentâs Day Out program. Many other kids cried at the door (totally normal) at drop-off, but 18-month-old Lucy looked at me and in her little baby voice goes âBye!â and turned around to go into her classroom. She laughs at the story and goes âBye!â in her now five-year-old voice. I know deep down in my core that she will be okay. But that doesnât mean the flutter of ALL THE FEELINGS in my head and heart arenât still there.
One piece of advice that a fellow parent shared really stuck out to me. She shared that âlike most things: the anticipation is worse than the actual event.â I remember being so nervous to leave her overnight for the first time. I remember being anxious about her starting her Parents Day Out program, being away from me and doing only one nap per day vs her usual two. I remember being anxious about potty training and the numerous other big and small transitions that happen in the first few years of a childâs life. But in almost every scenario, the anxiety and worry and stress and âwhat-ifsâ felt a lot more heavy BEFORE we ripped the Band-aid off, so to speak, and the transition or big milestone actually just happened.
We - both us grown-ups and our little kids that are turning into big kids - can do hard things.
Iâm holding on to that. đ
I recently asked my wonderful IG community "What do you wish you would have known or what advice/encouragement do you have for someone as their kid goes to kindergarten?" and was so comforted by the wise, encouraging, loving words IÂ received from other parents. I compiled all of the great advice and feedback into this blog post (Crowdsourced Kindergarten Advice + Encouragement). Here are a few of the tangible/practical pieces of advice that I really loved:
Order Matching Bracelets! Just search âThe First Day of Schoolâ bracelets and youâll see a bunch of options! Lucy loves jewelry and I knew would love this. I ordered this bracelet set and weâll each wear one bracelet to us of each other throughout the day.
Take First Day Photos BEFORE the actual first day of school. This is absolutely something weâll do! I know that Iâll want photos documenting this big milestone, but also know that asking Lucy to pose for a photo and putting pressure to âcapture the momentâ on an already emotionally overwhelming (early!) morning is a recipe for disaster. Weâre going to do a first-day outfit try-on the day BEFORE school, and take âFirst Dayâ photos then!
Write a short encouraging note and put it in their lunchbox or pocket â reminding them you love them and will see them soon!
Make Drop-off a Short and Positive Experience â obviously, itâs normal and okay to be sad! But try to put on a brave face for your child during this very new experience! Remember lots of parents are crying in their car or at home, too.
Print a Family Photo and put it in their backpack. Lucy loves displaying/carrying photos of us as a family so I have a photo printed she can keep in her backpack. Even if she doesnât get to see it during the day, she knows itâs there. Iâm also going to send her a little magnet in case sheâs able to hang it inside her little classroom locker.
Read Books about Kindergarten/Going to School. Some top recommendations were:
 The Kissing Hand (this is the one I ordered!)
The Invisible String (also ordered this one â know itâs also a top recommended book for discussing grief/loss with kids, too)
Thereâs a lot more wonderful advice and encouragement in this post, including how to help navigate your kidâs big feelings and your own.
Here are a few other school-related blog posts! đđŒ
50+ Vegetarian Lunchbox Ideas for Kids and The Kids School Uniform Guide
BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING:
The girls have had the Pottery Barn backpacks (size small) for a few years, and Lucy got to pick out a new one for kindergarten in the large size! This is the one she picked out - itâs so cute and she LOVES it!
Weâve been using Bentgo lunchboxes for years and Lucy picked out this insulated lunch bag to carry it in, with a matching water bottle.
WORDS I WROTE:
âJust because one season comes to a close, doesnât mean there isnât more in the next season. There is more goodness and sweetness and joy and wonder and beauty and hard and messy and âgosh these really are the daysâ moments now and ahead.â â On being on a new phase in parenting
âLately, I watch my girls and tangibly FEEL time slipping away. itâs going so fast and they are changing every day. Iâm in the moment with them and at the same time, grieving that the moment wonât last forever. â It wonât be like this for long
WORDS I LOVE:
Growing up is hard toâdo / I knowâbecause I'm growingâup with you
Youâare gonna fly someday / But you will always have a home /You're learning how to make your own way / And I'm learning to let you go / You were never mine to keep / You were always just on loan / So have a little patience with me / 'Cause I'm learning to let you go
I've gotta be honest / This might be the hardest thing I've had to do / Feels like the future came too soon / Now I'm slowly letting go
â âLearning to Let You Goâ by JJ Heller
CODES & DISCOUNTS
BETTER DAYS - use code LUCKYANDI for 10% off
CHATBOOKS - use code LUCKYANDI20 for 20% off!
EIZZY BABY - use code ANDI25 for 25% off
HIYA VITAMINS - use this link for $15 first order + free shipping
NUULY - use this link for $10 off your first order!
SHOP LUCKY COLLECTIVE (my Moroccan textile shop!) - use code LUCKYANDI for 10% off!
PAST NEWSLETTERS
No. 18 - Life Lately & On Being Outside of Your Comfort Zone (July 2023)
No. 17 - Life Lately & On Prioritizing Joy (May 2023)
No. 16 - Life Lately & On Feeling Vulnerable (March 2023)
No. 15 - Life Lately & A Personal Question (January 2023)
No. 13 - September 2022 (The Travel Issue)
Thanks for reading! I love hearing from you so always feel free to shoot me a note!