Let's Do Lunch, Please!

I know my worth as a mother is closely tied to making lunch for school for my children. Ben is on a set schedule - Monday and Thursday he buys lunch in the cafeteria, all other days, he packs a lunch. We have a good system - Ben gets some variety, I get a break two days a week, but get my mothering needs met.

My middle son, Logan, started full day school this year. At first he was adamant that he would not buy lunch - the whole process is intimidating and the food is a bit questionable. Since August, I have packed his lunch. And happy to do so.

Two weeks ago, Logan came home and announced that he wanted to buy lunch. It was more fun and gave him more play time (still not sure what he meant by that - but in the mind of a four-year old, it made sense). So for the past two weeks, he's bought his lunch. I bit my tongue trying not to persuade him. In my head, I kept repeating that age old saying about, "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was."

Finally yesterday, as I always do, I casually asked about lunch - well casually for me. Logan said it was fine, but he did not get dessert because he did not like the jello they had. Without getting too excited to hear that all was not well in the lunch-line, I asked if he wanted to bring his lunch tomorrow. Logan responded with, "I was thinking that too, Mom."

Woohoo!!! I cheered quietly inside - He came back! He came back!

I will lay off the cottage cheese for now, that was the last lunch I packed when he deserted me. Now I know why my Mom packed Suzy-Q's, Twinkies and Devil Dogs for my dessert for 13 years - who'd leave that?

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