SALT LAKE CITY — The first day of school can be nerve-wracking — but some Utah families have a sweet way to end it.
“I feel like you just need to do that little extra on the first day of school to make them feel loved and that they can do it — they can go back,” Jill Larsen from Magna said.
Larsen has been keeping a first-day tradition for years. The tradition wasn’t always what it is today. “It started off as scones, I would make scones on the first day of school, but they’re kind of involved and take a lot of time,” Larsen said.
Over the years, the menu changed, but the heart of the tradition stayed the same. “I want to be that mom that makes something while her kids are at school, and they come home and the house smells wonderful, like baked goods,” she said.
FOX 13 News joined Larsen to pick up her daughters from school. Her surprise was already in the oven.
For her 12-year-old daughter Anna Larsen, this year marked her first day of junior high. So, her mom made sure the tradition was waiting for her when she got home.
“It was very interesting. I go into the building, and there are tons of people, and then they tell us to like wait in the gym, and it’s super confusing because I’ve never gone to Junior High before,” Anna explained.
When the Larsen family got home, the treat was ready — cinnamon rolls. For Larsen, it’s about giving her girls something comforting to count on. “If they maybe had a frustrating or nervous first day of school, they can come home and have a cinnamon roll. And everything will be better,” she said while laughing.
In Holli Meza’s home, the first day of school ends with catching up over ice cream. Meza lives in Magna with her 5 sons and has continued the tradition for the last three years.
“It’s always Leatherby’s and just trying to decompress,” Meza said. “Some of my kids have anxiety, so it’s something they can look forward to after a scary day.”
Whether it’s cinnamon rolls or ice cream, creating a first-day tradition can turn those back-to-school nerves into memories kids can savor year after year.
