The Reality of the First Week of School - Through a Mum’s Eyes

The smell of new stationery, the excitement of fresh uniforms, the promise of a new routine… the first week of school always looks picture-perfect in our imaginations. But ask any mum who’s just survived it, and she’ll tell you: the reality is equal parts chaos, coffee, and emotional whiplash. Here’s what really happens when that school bell rings again.

1. The Morning Marathon

Forget calm, Instagram-worthy breakfast spreads - real life is toast crusts, missing shoes, and pleas to “just brush your teeth!” The first week is always a shock to the system after summer’s slower starts. Even the most organised mums find themselves racing the clock, packing lunchboxes with one hand while shouting reminders with the other.

2. The Emotional Rollercoaster

You think you’ll celebrate the quiet once drop-off is done… but instead you’re holding back tears in the car park. Whether it’s a first day of nursery or Year 6, mums feel it all - pride, relief, sadness, and joy rolled into one. And yes, it’s normal to scroll through baby photos at your desk while sipping your first uninterrupted coffee.

3. The Lunchbox Olympics

Pinterest might tell you it’s all bento boxes and perfectly cut fruit stars. Reality? Half-eaten sandwiches come home, yoghurt explodes inside the bag, and the child who begged for carrot sticks last week suddenly declares them “disgusting.” First-week lesson: keep it simple.

4. Homework Headaches

By Day 3, the dreaded homework begins. Cue negotiations, tantrums, and the eternal debate of “Why do I have to do this?!” And that’s just the mums. The truth? Everyone’s still adjusting to being back in routine, so don’t worry if it feels a bit messy at first.

5. Mum Guilt (and Mum Relief)

There’s guilt for secretly enjoying a bit of quiet. There’s guilt for not enjoying it enough. There’s guilt for forgetting PE kit. But there’s also the relief of routine returning - of knowing where everyone is meant to be, of having a few hours to catch your breath, and of bedtime once again being a non-negotiable.

The first week of school isn’t polished. It's frantic, funny, and filled with emotion. But mums everywhere should give themselves credit: we juggle the chaos, soothe the tears (theirs and ours), and somehow get everyone out the door each morning. That deserves a gold star in itself.