Whelp. Last First Day of School dropoff completed!
To be clear- it’s traditional for seniors to wear crowns on the first day of school (it wasn’t just a personal decision my daughter made, ha ha). I was glad she seemed excited for the first day, and recognized the significance of it. It should be noted that I did NOT say anything about the fact that she didn’t eat breakfast, or that her outfit violated the school dress code. We almost got into it in the carline, where she said she was embarrassed to be driven to school as a senior (well, maybe if you had gotten your license, Missy, you’d be driving yourself!) but I restrained myself.
The carline moved slowly, and I had time to look at all the seniors milling about in their crowns, which I enjoyed because I had never seen that before. Huh. Why have I never seen that? Oh, I know why- my son didn’t have a senior year of high school, thanks to Covid. Yes- I’m still talking about that, and I’m still sad about it. So I had a double whammy of emotions this morning.
But then! I went to Starbucks and had a nice long time to sit with my tea (and a free refill) to read blogs.
I also filled out my planner for the week- it’s a busy one, with appointments to get my blood drawn and a dental cleaning, plus several things for my daughter- an appointment, a flute lesson, pep band rehearsal after school on Thursday AND THEN THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME on Friday night- woohoo!!!
It was a nice, soothing way to spend the time before work- I don’t usually have this much time, but as I said yesterday I traditionally take the day off of working out for the first day of school, for this very reason.
Speaking of workouts, this IS a Tuesday Topics post, and this week the prompt is: How do you keep things fun when motivation dips?
Well, let’s start off with how I keep things fun in general. One of the things I love to do while I run is listen to a podcast. I know this is controversial- many runners just want quiet and solitude while they run, or they like to run with friends. But I LOVE my podcasts! Usually on a Monday morning, I’m excited to run while listening to the newest episode of Currently Reading.
Running in general is fun for me. I’m excited about my trail run this week- I know when I get out there it will be hot and tiring, but right now I’m looking forward to it.
Lifting weights… let’s be honest. I’m motivated by fear. The fear of sustaining a running injury, and the fear of weak bones and muscles as I get older. If you told me I could be perfectly healthy and injury-free for the rest of my life without strength training, I would never lift weights again. Alas! The world does not work that way, so I’ll continue to lift. Fear is a very powerful motivator.
Link Up With Tuesday Topics
Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts!
Do you have a kid going back to school this week?
Any great tips on how to stay motivated (since mine were not very helpful!)
Top photo by Deleece Cook on Unsplash
34 Responses
My daughter goes back Wednesday ( 8th grade) and my son Thursday ( 11th). We missed locker night last week, so he doesn’t have any text books or computer yet. You’d think at band camp and rehearsals they’d bring it up. I guess I’ll let him figure it out?
My 7th grader has another week.
I’m a little discombobulated as my one son graduated and he will start community college later in the month. High school was such a struggle for him, and now I don’t have to worry about it? And maybe I should plan my classes.
Glad the first day went well, with minimal snark and an extra helping of Earl Grey. And the school can make her wear a sweater or give her a detention if she’s violating the dress code. ( I’m assuming it’s the top, but maybe it’s the metal crown? That’s got to have a sharp edge.) Actions have consequences!
Yes, it was the top. I don’t argue anymore- I figure if she gets called out, she can deal with it.
So you’ve got three kids still in school, and one starting college. And you’re a teacher! Busy, busy days for you.
Oh, and college girl goes back today! Adult son who came home to finish his degree starts after labor day. I have at least 5 separate calendars to track!
“Motivated by fear” – that’s a very good thought! I think this is what motivates me too… the idea of being too frail to climb the stairs fills me with fear.
However, even if I knew I’d be super-healthy until 90, I would probably still be running and strength training because I want to participate in races – I find them great fun and I love working towards a goal.
And I do love the feeling of being fairly fit right now! I met a few friends last weekend, we’re the same age and it’s quite scary to see how unfit some of them were.
I would keep running no matter what- I just wouldn’t keep lifting weights is I could get away with it. And yes! I’m definitely getting to the age where there’s plenty of evidence of what happens if you don’t work out.
No kids. And mine took the bus anyway.
I am motivated by signing up for races and the fear of injury if I don’t run or walk each day.
I enjoy podcasts too.
Hope Angie has a great year. Does she not want a license?
I think she’s afraid of driving, and I can’t really blame here- people around here drive like maniacs. But she definitely needs to get a license! I’m going to start foarving it a little (obviously in low stakes situations, like deserted parking lots).
I think the crown is perfect for Angie’s personality. I hope she has a great first day of school. I am curious what happens at her school if there are dress code violations? I don’t think our school has any dress code? I mean… surely there’s a line, but I don’t know if it’s specifically spelled out anywhere?
Yay for your trail run. I’m so glad those runs bring you joy and I hope you have an especially fantastic run.
My husband and I were just talking about how COVID feels almost like a fever dream at this point. Living in isolation and all the rules and regulations (we had A LOT where we lived)… and now things are “back to normal” and it really does feel a bit like it never happened. SO BIZARRE!
Yes- your experience of Covid was very different than ours. Florida really veered in the other direction! The kids actually had the option of going to school that year, but it was really like babysitting for parents who needed them out of the house. They were socially distanced and doing all learning on their chromebooks, along with all the kids at home. Most people in high school didn’t bother to go, and there weren’t any “fun” aspects of school anyway, like football games or concerts.
It seems like some teachers enforce the dress code and some don’t. I know in the past she’s had to put a hoodie over her shirt a couple times.
Are people really running in silence? That is wild to me. I need music to keep me motivated (not that I’m running, but you know what I mean. One of the best things about Peloton is that I can see the playlist before I start a ride and if I don’t like it, I find a different one). The thought of running or doing any kind of exercise without music seems crazy to me. Although…I guess it would be like a moving meditation. A really LONG moving meditation. Here I am in your comments, coming full circle and saying YES now I can see why people would run in silence. I like to have a podcast while I walk, but sometimes I will just turn it off and walk in silence so AM I A HYPOCRITE YES.
I can’t wait for you to read this comment and wonder if I’ve had my coffee yet. The answer is no, I am still on my first cup. Don’t blog comment uncaffeinated, Nicole.
I like the crowns tradition but I DON’T like that sassy attitude about being driven to school – girl, work on getting your license before you growl about it!
I love everything about this reply. (I also prefer to walk/ run in silence, just for the record.) I also love the can crown. Great repurposing effort!
Ha ha… glad you came around on that one. I will say, if I’m on a machine at the gym, ESPECIALLY THE BIKE, I need music.
love the crown!!!
Ha, yes she was proud of that.
I’m glad the last first day of school went well! I’m sure this year will be hard with so many lasts, but there will be lots of good memories too!
I’m also motivated for the same reasons to strength train. I don’t really enjoy it, except for certain moves that are fun to me, but I know I need to do it if I want to run injury-free for a long time. And I do mine at home so I don’t have to convince myself to go to the gym, because if I did, I definitely wouldn’t do it as much!
Yes- definitely easier to do at home. I just don’t have all the equipment I need, but I can do a workout at home. If the gym isn’t crowded, I prefer it because I have more choices- but my gym is almost always crowded.
What a fun tradition–seniors wearing crowns of their own creation! I wonder how many (mostly boys, I’m sure) just showed up in a Burger King paper crown. LOL
COVID stole so much from so many and replaced it with fear and grief. Its effect is ongoing for many–physically, mentally, and emotionally. I totally understand your feelings about it even now.
Yes, I wish I could have seen more of the crowns close up! I know my daughter went to a “crown making” party, but I’ll bet it was all girls.
Just for the record- my son is completely over that lost year of school. I don’t think he cares at all anymore. I’m the one who can’t let it go!
Does Angie have any interest in getting her license? One of my nieces had no interest but she eventually got it around when she graduated from high school. They live in a kind of remote-ish area of Illinois so she didn’t have a lot of public transportation options so she eventually accepted that she needed to have her license. I got my license as early as my parents would allow (In ND, you could get a license at 14! My parents made me wait until I was 15). But I wanted the freedom that comes with being able to drive!
Our boys start school in a month so we are still solidly in summer mode with I am a ok with! Part of me is ready for back-to-school and being focused on academics again. But with fall, comes more activities/more challenging schedules and I return to work travel, too. So for the time being, I’m happy to soak up the August summer vibes!
I could not run without music or podcasts. It would be miserable. Phil never runs with music, though. Most of his runs are done at lunch and often he runs with a coworker. These days I do not run outside and my workouts are all at OTF. They are super hard often times, but they have fun music playing and the coaches are very positive and encouraging. I have yet to dread a OTF workout. I’m always EXCITED to be there. Granted, I’m not excited when we do 8 1-minute all out sprints during the class, but for the most part, it’s a very very fun environment. I will run outside if I don’t have access to OTF, so I’ll run at my parents when we are up there in late August. Phil asked me last week if I miss running outside and I said I really didn’t. The OTF workouts are working super well for me. I still plan to run a 10k on Thanksgiving Day if we don’t travel for the holiday. And I think I could crank out a decent 10k without necessarily ‘training for it’. But I got really burned out on training for the 10 mile race last summer so I think I was really ready for a change in my style of workouts.
Yes, it seems like OTF is really working for you. And you’re right- you’re in good enough shape that you could jump into a race without specifically training for it.
I think Angie will be like your niece- she’s going to realize she NEEDS to be able to drive! I’ve been letting her set the pace (which is zero miles per hour) but I’m going to start pushing her on it.
I approve of seniors wearing crowns for their first day of school! Neither one of the boys wanted to drive, which was just mind boggling to me, and one of the two was pretty rough on his unpaid chauffeurs. In theory if I had been a parent and not a stepparent, there would have been some very tough love around this issue, but I wasn’t so I’m just armchair quarterbacking. Today both boys drive.
Back when I was running, listening to music or podcasts was a treat that I looked forward to almost as much as the run. Once in a while I would feel like just having silence, but it was not the norm. Today in my walking/hiking era the balance is more like 50/50 on whether I’m listening to something or not.
Until recent times intense cardio made me feel good, so that was 99% of the motivation. Now it’s exhausting so the goal is “move enough to feel good but not tired”. I’m never going to be a completely inactive person, but it is a very different season of life right now.
One of the problems is, my daughter has a boyfriend and a couple friends who seem happy to drive her around. Then of course there’s me, AHEM. Tough love will definitely be happening, because she NEEDS her license. Soon.
Yes- feeling good is huge motivation. If intense cardio stopped making you feel good, I can see why you’fe want to switch things up!
Look, I’m upset with all of the schools that are already going back to school. AUGUST IS STILL SUMMER. I’m apparently going to keep screaming this forever. We don’t start classes until September 2 and THAT’S TOO SOON.
I love that she made her own crown! She’s so creative. I think Angie and I would be besties.
As for motivation, I am also motivated by fear. My parents both died young and I’m over here doing the best I can to avoid that outcome. I mean, some stuff isn’t avoidable, but I shall do my best to avoid that which is!
When we first moved to Florida, I thought school started WAY too early. Growing up in Illinois, we always started after Labor Day. Now I’m used to it I guess.
Yeah, you can my daughter would probably get along well!
I have to admit I may have cackled a little when you talked about her complaining about being driven to school when she is the unlicensed driver . . . (and it sounds like that was her choice!). I hope she had a great first day though and you too!!!
Yes, Angie has procrastinated on even getting her permit, and I’m about to kill her. This WILL be happening this year!!!
The crown thing is so fun. I’ve never heard of a school doing that. I did not get to workout yesterday since we were traveling. Imagine our surprise today when we discovered the hotel had no workout room. What? I went for a run this am though so I didn’t miss it.
Rae starts school Monday. Kay starts Sept 1std my daycare starts up on Monday. Oof. Hope Angie has the best year !
Thank you Ernie! I hope YOU have the best year ever. Back to school is an exciting time.
My twins are seniors (almost 17). This was supposed to be the “Summer of the Driver’s License”. But, alas it has not happened because they just don’t care. They have an 8-min walk to school and can take the Metro or bus anywhere. And they are happy to walk or bum a ride from friend’s parent. We said they MUST get their license before going to college because you never know what might happen. Ugh!
Hahahaha! Same. Except we don’t have reliable public transportation around here. I’m saying the same thing- she HAS TO get her license before college. Sheesh.
Does your daughter know about your blog?
Yep! That’s why her face is blurred out- it’s her request.
I laughed out loud (cackled really) about your daughter being embarrassed to be driven to school. My daughter also put off getting her license, enjoying the chauffeur experience I guess. Until one Saturday she was at school taking her SAT or something, and all of the other kids just walked out and got into their cars and drove away, and she had to wait until I was finished doing whatever I was doing and could come get her. That’s when she finally started taking the whole thing seriously. Thankfully that was early enough that she got it done and got her license in time so she could drive herself to school her senior year, which made EVERYTHING so much easier. No more rushing to get her out the door and rushing home to my own job. I could have had her walk or ride her bike, but her school is across town and she didn’t have a bike, blah blah blah.
I hope you’ve enjoyed not having your oven or stove this week! A mini reprieve from a very unexpected source!
Bah, I’ve been slacking on my weights. I was SO GOOD about it, but I think I have a tendon issue and I don’t want to aggravate it. I also don’t want to lose all of my muscle, so I need to figure this one out.
Ha I have definitely been enjoying not having an oven!!! Sadly, the new one comes tomorrow : )