Mom Says What We're All Thinking With Hilarious First Day Of School Photo

It’s back to school time. Break out the new shoes, pencil bags, and…Patrón? That’s what this mom used as a prop for her kid’s first day of school photos and it’s kind of making me want to be her best friend.

Jessi Kittrell is a professional photographer and mother of four who won the internet this week when she shared a hilarious snap of herself and her daughter prior to the kiddo’s first day of kindergarten. Playing on the Pinterest tradition of photographing kids with a handmade sign, Kittrell dons a sassy pink robe while flashing a sign that reads “Bye Felicia” and cradling a margarita glass and tequila in her other hand.

Kittrell posted the hilarious photo to her business Facebook page where it’s racked up almost 10,000 shares. She also shared it with a local news page, where it’s gotten over 100,000 likes. Cheeky as the picture may be, Kittrell told Buzzfeed the whole thing was just her unique way of dealing with back to school jitters about her youngest child heading off to kindergarten.

First day of school photos have seen a massive spike in popularity since the dawn of Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media sites that encourage us to publicize the biggest moments our lives. Most of the photos include cutesy signs or handmade props that turn them into a visual time capsule fit for a beautifully curated family album. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but Kittrell’s tongue-in-cheek take on the tradition feels surprisingly refreshing because of how honest it is.

Sending kids off to school is stressful for both parent and child. There are so many little things to worry about and the start of each new school year is such an acute reminder that childhood is flying by. At a time when so many of us are pressuring ourselves to savor the moment and create special memories, Kittrell’s photo is a good reminder that you don’t have to be the sappy parent.

You can crack jokes, have a good time, and even celebrate the fact that summer vacation is finally over while still making special memories with your kid. Hell, having a good laugh about it might even make both of you feel better about the inevitable stress of stocking up on supplies, finding classes, and making new friends.

If you don’t feel compelled to break out the glue gun and Martha Stewart the heck out of your kid’s first day, that’s perfectly fine. Take a page from Kittrell’s book and do whatever helps you relax and have fun. If that happens to be drinking a margarita at 8:45 a.m., well, you won’t get any dirty looks from me.