In part two of this series on adding magic to your children's lives, I'll share how lunchbox notes are a great way to remind your kids that you care
His own little life
When my son was born, I took six months off work on maternity leave; I spent most of my waking hours looking after him. I was his world. It was about the time that I returned to work, and my son spent more time with his grandparents and, eventually, childcare, that it dawned on me that he would have some core experiences without me. It was a bittersweet realisation: my son was already living his own little life as an infant.
Now, as I drive my son home from childcare, I enjoy hearing my son drop a name or two, and it makes me happy knowing that he's taking small steps toward having friends or interacting with other kids. Some experiences seem lovely, and others are plain weird; why, just the other day, my son was bitten by another child (a toy-related dispute), but that's a story for another day!
That biting incident was a storm in a teacup. By the time I picked up my son from childcare, he did not recall the incident. But, I know, as most parents do, that our children are bound to have plenty more bad days at school! So, when my son starts school, I have decided that I want to be there for him in small ways occasionally...in case he is having a bad day. Or what would be wrong with being there to add even more joy to a great day? The most obvious way I could think of doing this is the lunchbox note.
How to be there without being there...
Lunchbox notes are just little messages that you can place into your child's lunchbox. The notes can be inspiring, fun or loving. A lunchbox note could be just what your little one needs to let them know that they're loved and that someone is thinking about them.
Here are some of my tips when using lunchbox notes:
They don't need to be fancy or long: simple, quick messages like 'I LOVE YOU' or 'YOU ARE WONDERFUL' are perfect.
Use colourful pens or paper to add some joy to the message.
Prepare the notes in advance and stash them away to be ready to use anytime.
The important thing to remember is not to overdo it – getting a lunchbox note every day may eventually become boring. Use these notes like a 'treat', a delightful surprise every once in a while.
If you're stuck for ideas on messages, you can use the lunchbox notes I created. There are three sets of lunchbox notes (six notes per set) that you can download for free! Here they are:
Download each set, print them in colour, and then cut each paper into six squares, and they're ready to use.
I'd love to hear how your kids reacted when they got their notes - please let me know in the comments below!
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