Well, you’ll never eat lunch in this town until 2010!
I cannot think of anymore variations on the lunch I make for my three children. Peanut butter, Nutella, fresh fruit, dried fruit, protein bars, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, soup, I can’t do no more.. I CAN’T DO NO MORE!
Bagging or buying is my daily query!
Each day I put together lunches for the kids based on their unique tastes and on whether or not they want to purchase lunch from school or take their lunch with them. The lunches provided at high school are great, but unfortunately, they don’t allow the kids enough time to get in line, buy the lunch and eat it in time to get to their next class. So my highschool child bags it every day.
My girls decide based on the lunch menu and usually they choose to bag it, which leaves me “holding the bag.”
I make salads and wraps, sandwiches and stir fry. I try to make it different everyday, and by winter vacation, I have run out of ideas, patience, energy and creative juice.
I need a break!
Actually, I needed a break one week early this year and so I started asking my children to make their own lunches.
You know what? All of a sudden, buying lunch is looking a lot more appealing!
There is squawking, of course. But, they can make their own lunches and what they make, is much simpler than what I make. I find myself thinking “you mean all these years, I could have gotten away with 2 Saltines crackers and a grape?”
The truth is that I like making the lunches. Sometimes I include little notes and special treats. But, it’s good to know that when I run out of gas, they can make their own lunch!
I guess you can make them pack their own lunch and eat it too. (sometimes)
Jamee – I too enjoy the lunch making endeavor (to a limit) but figured out the “kids are self sufficient” scheme pretty early on. Even my 4 year old gets it…she gets her juice box out of the ‘fridge, cookie pack from the pantry and brings me the PB & J or gets out the cold cuts. The upside if I never have to hear that she didn’t like what I packed for her because she participated in the process. The last time my 8 year old asked me why his favorite soccer shorts weren’t clean, I showed him how to use the washer/dryer. Clean laundry is delivered to their rooms on Saturday mornings when I get caught up and they have to put it up (even my 4 year old) – that solves the “where are my -fill in the blank” shouting that inevitably happens on busy school mornings. I shout back (shouting is standard method of communicating in our house as we have no intercom and I’m often downstairs while they’re still upstairs – maybe I’ll get walktie talkies next) – anyway, I shout back “I don’t know, you put them up” and they can usually figure it out. It’s not perfect but they get that it’s a total team effort to keep the house running (notice I didn’t say running smoothly! that would be too much to ask). I love this blog and the exec moms group – I just discovered it. Thanks!
Jamee,
I laughed aloud at “two saltine crackers and a grape”! Hilarious. I don’t have children yet, but I can hear my mom’s thoughts reflected in your own. Your kids are really lucky to have a mom like you!
Alison