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I am excited to partner with The Northwest to share some back-to-school must-haves.

Colored pencils lying on the table with text beside them.Our kids are heading back to school… and this is the time to get what we need.   I usually order their school things to arrive over Labor Day Weekend, so I can send it in on Tuesday, once I know what they need.   

Here are 5 things that our kids are excited to have this year:

1- Lunchbox.  
Our kids are a product of nature AND nurture.   They love the Steelers, like their dad.  Mickey and I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, PA, so we have been watching Steeler games since they were babies.  They each wore their first Steeler jersey when they were only a few weeks old.  
On the other hand… they love the Panthers, because they were born in NC.  Each of our kids were born here and have been raised around Panther Pride.
A little boy looking in his lunch box.

This year – we thought that it would be fun to support both, so our kids have a Panther’s lunchbox and a Steelers lunchbox from The Northwest.  The kids swap out which one they want to take (especially on Fridays… game day!)
Ethan likes to pack his own lunch & keep it clean (he takes this job seriously. Hahaha!)

A young boy standing in front of a window holding a new lunch box.
The Northwest are the makers of the coolest licensed gear and coziest throw blankets.  They have everything from blankets, bedding, backpacks and cooler bags, beach towels and more in every major league sports team, college team, Disney characters and more.    These lunchboxes are High-quality and durable, so I like knowing that they will make it through the year.


2- Back to school picture
You are welcome to print this picture below.  I made it for my kids and we have them holding it for a picture each year.  Just click on the image, hit save & print.
A chalk board with a first day of school message.


3- Blanket
Your child may not know that they need this one, but a GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP is key to a good school day.   Make going to bed fun with a new blanket.  Every year, we get our kids a new blanket.   
Beau LOVES blankets, so he loves this tradition more than anyone else.  He usually keeps the blanket in his room, but the other kids end up taking it into the living room to cuddle under.    Did you know that a school-aged child needs 8-12 hours of sleep?  I aim for 12.   If our kids are cold at night, they wake up more often, so a good, high-quality, nicely made blanket from The Northwest solves that.

A boy sleeping in a bed with a football themed blanket.This Penn State blanket from The Northwest is SO soft and heavy, so it’s great for calming the kids.  My brother went to Penn State (I went to Pitt) and our kids have been Penn State fans for as long as I can remember.   Mickey is the same way, so I’m not surprised!

A close up of a blanket in it\'s packaging.
4- Night before school book
I love to find a book about the grade that our kids will be going into.  For example, they make a lot of Kindergarten books, so I’ll order one and have it ready when my kids get into bed on the night before school.  We’ll read it together, to try to relieve any nerves. 🙂  It’s always a fun treat for them!

5- BackPack
Every year, when I was younger, my mom and I would go shopping for a new bookbag.  I stuck with the trends and looked for a style that I liked, while she looked for quality.   Now that we can order straight from The Northwest, we get all of those options and the kids get what they want.   This Penn State backpack was ordered for Beau and he loves it.  Everyone in our family loves Penn State, so he likes being able to display it on his backpack.

A young boy standing on the stairs with a new backpack.

Overall, the thing that your child needs the most on that first day of school?  A giant hug from you and good wishes for a great year! 🙂


More posts you might like:
first day of school

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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