When you find out you’re expecting a little one, what do you do? You gear up with a mountain of baby essentials. You fill closets with diapers, drawers with cute onesies, and set up the nursery with all the necessary furniture.
But what you might not realize is that further down the line, you’ll need a whole new collection of items. Things like tie-dyed T-shirts, outrageous hats, wild patterned socks, and neon… well, everything. Unless your children are homeschooled, you’ll soon find yourself in need of these seemingly random items when their school sends home that dreaded last-minute flyer announcing the event that makes moms everywhere roll their eyes: Spirit Week.
It might go by a different name at your kids’ school: Rally Days, Red Ribbon Week, or Awareness Week—whatever the title, it’s still the same concept: a series of days where kids dress according to different themes. Fun for them, but not so much for the parents tasked with assembling outfits that no one ever keeps on hand.
Honestly, I struggle to put together my kids’ outfits on a regular day. I’ve lost count of how many mornings I’ve sent them off hoping no one notices the creases or that one of my sons is wearing his brother’s jeans that are way too short. So when “1960s Day” rolls around and I need to dig up the fringed vest and peace-sign shades I bought last time, I feel a bit overwhelmed.
Sure, I could try to get it together for one decent outfit. But great—tomorrow is “Funky Hat Day,” and I have to find the right headgear, which can’t just be a baseball cap—it has to be funky. And not the one funky hat we do have, which resembles the poop emoji and is definitely not school-appropriate. Ugh.
I often envy the moms of long-haired girls on “Crazy Hair Day.” They have so many options! (Have you seen that hairstyle on Pinterest that looks like soda pouring from a bottle? I can’t even!) But as the mother of short-haired boys, my options are limited. Aside from spiking their hair—which barely lasts an hour—I’m left racing to the drugstore to grab temporary hair dye (which, of course, will leave a colorful ring around my bathtub).
And “Pajama Day”? If my kids aren’t sleeping in just their undies, they’re wearing old pajamas that are so short they look like capris (but they insist they “still fit”). Or they’re still snoozing in shorts and tank tops in winter, forcing me to buy seasonal sleepwear they’ll only wear to school once before declaring it “too hot to sleep in.”
Every Friday, the kids are meant to don their school colors, so I must keep laundry in check to have a selection of red and gray outfits on hand. And when our local sports teams have an important game, guess what? Time to wear team gear! Just a few weeks ago, I purchased the brightest fluorescent orange shirts for “Wear Orange to Combat Bullying Day” (because we all know orange is a proven bully repellent).
Keeping track of all this is tough enough with one child, but juggling multiple kids at different schools is a logistical nightmare. I have three in elementary and one in middle school, and sometimes their Spirit Weeks sync up. For example, while Monday is “Twin Day” at one school (dress like your best buddy! Yay!), at the other it’s “Superhero Day.”
I can barely remember my kids’ names, so keeping straight who needs to dress as what—while ensuring I have the right clothes and accessories clean—is a mental workout I struggle with, especially before my morning coffee kicks in.
I know these themed days are meant to build community and school pride. I get it. I want my kids to participate and feel included, which is why you can find me rummaging through last Halloween’s costumes for a cape, buying camouflage T-shirts, and texting my neighbor at 7 a.m. to see if she has any red and gray face paint. It’s important to them, and that’s why I care. But I don’t have to love it.
So, for those of you whose kids haven’t yet reached school age, let me share a little advice: Start stocking up on the most bizarre items early. Get a large box and fill it with hippie beads, sunglasses-patterned socks, floppy fedoras, and a variety of temporary hair dyes (plus some Soft Scrub for the bathtub afterward).
That way, when your child comes home announcing that tomorrow is “Dress Like a 1960s Superhero With a Funky Hat and Crazy Socks for Flu Season Awareness Day,” you’ll be the mom who’s got it all sorted.
For further reading on how to navigate pregnancy and home insemination, check out this excellent resource from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. And if you need more insights, don’t miss this post on our other blog.
Summary
Spirit Week can be a chaotic challenge for parents, especially when it comes to assembling themed outfits for multiple children across different schools. The key to surviving these themed days is early preparation and stocking up on unusual clothing items. With some foresight, you can be the mom who has everything covered for whatever ridiculous theme comes your way.