10 reasons why back-to-school season is the real ‘new year’

I love summer break. I love the relaxed bedtimes and lack of homework. I love the lazy mornings and ice cream for dinner in the middle of the week. I love that my kids can have a “Sandlot summer,” biking around with their friends, playing baseball and going to the public pool. I love the family road trips and long afternoons at the lake.

I absolutely love summer.

And you know what I love just as much as summer break? The end of summer break—when kids go back to school.

By early August, I start counting down the days until my kids will don their backpacks, pack a lunch, and be out of the house for a blessedly sweet eight hours. 

Related: 13 routines & activities to prep kids for back-to-school 

Why back-to-school season is the real ‘new year’

There are few times of the year as sweet as back-to-school season. Why do I love it so much? Let me count the ways…

1. A return to some semblance of normalcy

Let’s be honest, by the time 4^th of July is over, I’m exhausted and hoarse from reminding my kids to close the screen door, the children are starting to turn feral, and we all have a stomachache from too much ice cream. Regular bedtimes and some kind of routine starts to look like a vacation. 

2. A fresh start—for everyone

There is something about a fresh pack of pens and a new notebook that screams hopeful possibility. Maybe this will be the year we run a 10K. Maybe this will be the year we earn a promotion. Maybe this will be the year we finish painting the basement rec room. Anything is possible. 

3. The novelty of routine hasn’t worn off yet

My kids (and I) haven’t yet become stressed out by homework and projects. We haven’t become overwhelmed by all the after-school activities we try to cram into the few hours we have between school and dinner.

4. Reconnecting with teachers who truly care

All teachers are heroes, and I will sing their praises until the end of time. And there are some teachers who hold a special place in our hearts for the way they care about our kids. For the way they see our children for who they are and work to bring out the best in them. Back-to-school seasons means reconnecting with these amazing teachers and meeting new teachers who we hope will do the same. 

5. Old friends and new friends

Back-to-school also means seeing our kids connect with friends they may not have seen much over the summer. It also means making friends with new classmates. 

6. A chance for parents to exhale

We can settle into the sweetness of normalcy that often gets overlooked when we’re consumed by the grind. It might be the briefest moment time, because come late-September, we’re burned out by PTA meetings, curriculum night and filling out approximately eight thousand forms. Pretty soon it’s Halloween parties and parent-teacher conferences and then the holidays. Enjoy the brief moment of calm while it lasts, friends.

Related: These sustainable kids clothes are perfect for back to school

7.  The bittersweet reminder that they’re growing up

There is a bittersweetness to back-to-school season too. The speed with which their childhoods are speeding by is enough to take your breath away sometimes. So we try to freeze time with chalkboard signs and first day of school photos.

But there is nothing like a first day of school photo to give you a gut-punch reminder that our little ones are growing up. So we soak it up and hug them tight before saying our goodbyes as they head off through the school building doors.

We might go home and have a good cry. Or maybe we meet a friend for breakfast. And we steady ourselves for the school year ahead, filling ourselves up with optimism and good intentions to make every moment count.  

8. Quiet time at home (yes, really)

Once the backpacks are out the door, there’s suddenly a strange, unfamiliar stillness in the house. The kind of quiet that makes it possible to hear your own thoughts. Or get a load of laundry folded. Or drink coffee while it’s still hot.

9. A renewed sense of purpose

Something about the school year resets our family goals. Whether it’s meal planning, calendar syncing, or just remembering to take our vitamins, back-to-school season gets us back on track in a way January never quite does.

10. Another chance to get it right

Maybe this year we’ll finally master the art of making school lunches the night before. Maybe we’ll remember picture day without the frantic 7:45 a.m. scramble. Back-to-school season gives us another shot to grow—right alongside our kids.

A version of this story was originally published on Aug. 18, 2022. It has been updated on August 7, 2025.