Traditionally, the day after America’s Labor Day was the first day of school. Now, more and more schools start earlier (our county schools began August 16th), go year-round, or like our local college, don’t start until the END of month. Nevertheless, September brings the anticipation of shorter days, cooler nights, and changing leaves, along with the smell of crayons and newly sharpened pencils. If you are a Southern Hemisphere reader, do tell us, what does September represent down-under?

For many of my readers, the school year now begins for our children. Whether you home-school your children or send them to school, the beginning of the year marks a change in your routine as well as theirs.

Question: How well do you honor the changing of the seasons with some sort of tradition? A simple way to do this in September is to make time for a back-to-school tea.

Why tea? Because sharing a pot of tea fosters community and because I believe a key to your children’s success in school involves your connection to their friends’ parents. Who can you invite over for or meet over a pot of tea and a little touch of something?

Now, some might accuse me sounding very 1950s. But the reality is hospitality has not gone out of style and those 1950s moms knew something about how to help each other out. Is there another mom or two you could invite over for the purpose of getting to know them better? Granted, many moms work and rush off to their day as soon as they drop off their children. Is there a small window, however, where you can spend time with the parents of your children’s friends? This investment will pay off greatly in the long-run as it is critical for you to know the family of the friends your children want to spend time with.

Start over a simple pot of tea and a few home-made cookies some time this month. Remember, make decent tea!

Do you feel connected to the parents of your children’s friends?