About Rebecca Eckler
Since becoming pregnant with her daughter Rowan, Canadian journalist and author Rebecca Eckler has penned three hilarious books, including the best-selling Knocked Up. Catch Rebecca’s weekly unique perspective on motherhood and single parenthood.
Staying Sane During Back-to-School Madness
eckler plus one: back to school shopping canada
(Sep.09.11)
There are some places that you never want to go during the week leading up to, and the week of, back to school. I learned this the hard way, this week, when I learned my daughter needed to wear “lace-up Oxfords” to school, instead of the velcro Mary Jane’s that I had sent her in.
So, off to the shoe store I went. And this shoe store looked like it had been raided! There were shoes thrown everywhere, and babies crying on the floor, and kids running around, and I thought, “My god! What is going on here?!?” Well, nothing was going on, just the same old back-to-school-buying-your-kids-new-shoes experience.
I stood there not knowing what to do or how to get help, worried that I’d get a ticket because I’d only paid for one hour of parking and the rate at the store was slow, to say the least. I was told that I had to sign up and get on the waiting list, which I did. After about 20 minutes my name was called and I swear I wondered if the sales people get paid in Advils for their headaches. I mean, kids were screaming, boys were running around, girls were arguing with their mothers and I just wanted two darn pairs of lace-up Oxford shoes.
But I remained calm.
The saleswoman was extremely patient and got us our sizes and helped my daughter try them on. Then, a mailman walked in to deliver the mail, carefully stepping over babies on the floor. Even he asked, “What’s going on here?” I answered solemnly: “It's back to school time.”
In any case, why does it seem that all parents wait until the very last minute to buy shoes for their kids to go to school? I bought my daughter her back-to-school shoes in July, just a size bigger. And, yes, there were the wrong kind, but still, I am wise enough to know that there are certain places one never wants to hit for school supplies the first week back to school. These places include Grand and Toy, any haircutting places for kids, the uniform store, and if your kid doesn’t go to a school that requires uniforms, then the Gap, Zara, and H&M. I bought all my daughter’s uniforms way back in June (sizing up) so I wouldn’t have to deal with going to a uniform store the day before school. Of course, I ended up back at the uniform store the day before school, to buy a bathing suit that I did not see on the list the first go around. Argh!
My daughter also gets her back-to-school haircut in early August, so I don’t have to hear, “We don’t have any appointments those two weeks.” So, school supply stores, certain clothing stores, shoe stores for kids and hairdressing salons. These are places you should never go to the week before school or the week school starts. Save your sanity!
Is there anything else I’m missing? Share the busiest back-to-school places!
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