Why Kids Need to Pack Their Own Lunch - And How to Teach Them
School in our area starts back this week, so I’ve been giving myself a little pep talk. Sure it’s my kids that will be taking the tests and doing the homework, but I learned several years ago that I’ve also got to be on my parenting A-game overseeing those behind-the scene details in order for a school year to go smoothly.
You know what I'm talking about:
Signing field trip permission forms
Packing a daily snack and water bottle
Ensuring homework is done before any screen time
Getting told the night before your precious child needs poster board the next day
Coordinating sports activities and extracurricular schedules for different kids
Carpooling to those various activities
Making sure gym clothes get washed and backpacks cleaned out
Ensuring that your child has lunch packed or lunch money
The list could go on and on and on. Can anyone else relate?
What If Your Kids Packed Their Own Lunch?
So here’s an idea: what if you took one of those responsibilities - like packing lunches - and re-assigned them to your kids? No, you’re not totally off the hook because you’ve still got to have foods to pack available in the house - and, yes, it depends on their age and abilities. I'm not suggesting that your kindergartner pack his or her own lunch.
But hear me out, training my kids to take on this responsibility has had a really positive impact on the entire family. Check out my recent article for Cooking Light: Your Kids Should Be Packing Their Own Lunch - Here's How to Teach Them to find out more!
