Back-to-School Items No One Tells You to Buy

Some parents have it all together. They check off every item from the back-to-school  supply list, line by line. The pencils, the folders, some even managed to grab the dry erase markers with the exact chisel tip the teacher asked for.

But not all of us are Type A parents.

Can we talk about what actually throws us all into chaos once school starts? Between the color-coded folders, highlighters, and the mysteriously specific pencil pouch requirements, it feels like a scavenger hunt every year. But there’s one thing even the type A parents never seem to prepare for until it’s way too late: Spirit Week.

It hits fast, y’all. One minute you're just trying to survive the first month of school, and the next your kid needs to dress like a rock star, wear all pink, and show up in pajamas — all in the same week.

Cue the 10 PM Target run or last-minute Amazon order that may or may not arrive on time.

Prep now, stress never.

This year, let’s be smarter than the calendar. We already know it’s coming, so why not prep ahead and stash away the essentials now? It’ll save you stress later (and your kid won’t be the only one without a costume on Character Day.)

And while we’re at it, go ahead and stock up on teacher and staff appreciation gifts. A little candle or coffee card goes a long way, and after everything they put up with, they deserve all the things.

Ready to prep? Here are the Spirit Day must-haves most of us forget until the night before…