FamilyEducation Blogs

September 30, 2009

Hunger

One of the things I really enjoy about L.'s school calendar, and the fact that he gets two weeks off for fall break and two weeks off in the spring, is that we get the chance to control the conditions of his day, and make sure he's coming close to eating three regular meals each day; or, if we can't manage that, at least we can send enough snacks his way to feel he's getting something to live on. When school is in session we're lucky if he gets one and a half "real" meals/day, and it takes its toll over time--turning him into a hyped-up, strung out mess. [more]

September 25, 2009

Unlikely albatross

The other day in the car L. mentioned that the year was going by really quickly.

"I can't wait for this year to be over!" he said.

"Is it that bad?" I asked.

"I just can't wait until the next year, and then the next, and the next. I can't wait until I'm eighteen!"

"Enjoy being nine while you can," the maternal voice of (40-year old) wisdom advised him from the front seat of the car.

He was quiet for a minute.

"You're right," he said. "I'll never get these years back once they're gone."

********** [more]

August 26, 2009

Rules of engagement

Last week we were mired in other more pressing concerns, but I kept thinking about some fitting military-type euphemism in keeping with the spirit of Operation Bento Box that would capture the setback the whole plan suffered last week.

I couldn't come up with one, though. (The words Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! kept flashing through my mind, however.) [more]

August 12, 2009

Time to pack the doughnuts

You know how there are all these things you once said you'd never do as a parent, yet of course you find yourselves doing them? Things like caving in and buying your daughter a girlie toy, even though you'd always vowed to stand strong against gender-typing; or letting her leave the house in pajamas and Fancy Nancy dress shoes; or packing a doughnut in your son's lunchbox because it's the one and only thing he will eat.

Granted, the doughnuts are these: [more]

August 7, 2009

Ready...set...bento!

I came home from an outing with T. on Wednesday to discover our bento boxes had arrived! I'd spent the week before convincing Scott that bento boxes were going to change our lives--or, at least, help us help L. change his school lunch habits (which mainly include sitting in his seat at the cafeteria and leaving his lunchbox unopened on the table in front of him).

T. was very excited to get her box. It's pink, of course. [more]

July 30, 2009

Operation Bento Box

Sometimes I think I should just quit my job and devote myself full-time to the effort of getting L. to eat. It really IS almost a full-time, high-stress job. We cycle through periods where we just deal, because there are other more pressing things going on; other times, like at the beginning of the school year, we go into panic mode, and scramble to implement reward systems and gimmicks--all of which usually end up not working, or fail too soon. [more]