By Esther C. Baird, first published in the Ipswich Local News, August 30, 2023 I guess summer is over. Christmas decorations are back at Costco, Starbucks has dropped its fall menu, and, despite my protests, it’s back-to-school season. Back-to-school with teens and college kids isn’t quite the thrilling event of yesteryear. I have no idea what…
Tag: Back to school
Back to School 2020
First published in the Chronicle & Transcript, September 9, 2020 By Esther C. Baird Well it’s back to school season. Whatever that means. I have friends who are homeschooling, friends who are sending their kids to schools that are fully remote and friends who are using a hybrid model. I have friends who are teachers…
Back to Bad Fashion
By Esther C. Baird First published in the Tri Town Transcript Sep 17, 2019 Fine, it’s back to school season. I’ve written for years about the school supply death spiral and the lunch box march to nowhere. I’ve railed against the sexist box stores that only sell speciality sports shoes in mens and boys and…
Therapy for Back to School
By Esther Baird First published in the Tri Town Transcript, September 21, 2018 Back-to-school fills me with so many emotions. Not really. Mostly fills me with angst. I recently came across the first back to school column I ever wrote when my eldest daughter had just turned two in 2006. I sent her to preschool…
How to ‘Bear’ Back to School
First published in the Tri Town Transcript Sep 27, 2016 By Esther C. Baird Back to school is a tangled up time of year. What I want this time of year is to have it both ways. I want summer and school, freedom and schedule. Spontaneous lunches and bagged, home-made lunches. OK scratch that. I…
No Time for Back to School
First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript Sep. 3, 2014 Parents of the Tri-Towns, this time of year weighs me down. It burdens me with high expectations for either maternal inventive fabulousness, or witty ironic rebuttals of the same. It’s ‘back to school’ season and the national obsession leaves no argyle, printed snack pack, no double…