"The Worst Mom"? "Dumb"? Ouch!!
Monday, November 10, 2008
On the way home from grocery shopping on Saturday, Natalie casually mentioned that the kids in her class think that I am "the worst mom" because I don't make very good lunches since I don't put many treats in her lunch box.
Well, I believe that fruit snacks are equivalent to gummy bears, that goldfish crackers are essentially cardboard, and I actually follow our pediatrician's and dentist's advice to cut out most juice, especially the juice box-type drinks. So if that makes me "the worst mom" then I guess I am, in fact, the worst mom. But, ouch, that hurts my feelings! I don't want to be the worst mom. I don't want the kids at school to think Natalie has a witch for a mother. This is not a fun feeling.
I then asked Natalie how many kids' moms write notes to them on their napkins that are packed with their lunch? She could only think of one other child in her class. So I felt happy that at least she knows she's loved when she gets her napkin note from mom every day at lunch.
Now this morning as I was packing her lunch, she mentioned that the kids in school think that I am "D-U-M-B" (yes, she spelled it out for me) because of the things that I write on her napkins. Ouch again! I do write rather silly things on her napkins, like "Boom Shaka-Laka" or "10 days til Halloween" or "Thanks for making your bed so nicely this morning". I can picture the kids sitting down at their lunch table and someone saying, "So, Natalie, what did your mom write today?" in a mocking voice and everyone laughing. Again, not a fun feeling.
I expected peer pressure to come someday on clothes, music, going to sleepovers, etc., but SACK LUNCHES? I must confess, that every once in a while, I DO buy fruit snacks, goldfish crackers, and red-colored sugar water mislabeled as "juice", mainly because I recognize that a sandwich and fruits and veggies can get boring day after day. But I guess an occasional treat is not enough for my daughter to escape ridicule.
Should I just ignore the pressure and take satisfaction in knowing that she is eating healthy? Or should lunches from our house become a pre-packaged party of sugar and cardboard?
Signed,
Lisa (aka "the Worst mom")
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8 comments:
I say she needs to find a new table to eat lunch at! Where are the nice kids? I would want to know if my children making fun of someones lunch!
Man, do I have stories about "mean kids". (And I do believe it is generally worse outside of Utah, where similar principles taught and decent family values are getting harder to find!! Just keep on doing what your doing, maybe tone down the napkin scribbles to a smiley face or somethin? -Heidi
You are NOT the 'worst mom ever'!!! In fact it is my opinion that you rank up their with some of the best moms on the planet. In my memory I can not recall the mean things said to me during lunch time...the things that were put in my lunchbox...or even the things that WEREN'T put in my lunchbox...but I do remember the notes. They meant more to me than any sugary snack ever could. I wouldn't trade those 'silly' notes for all the sugar in the world. If it isn't her lunches they are picking on it would be something else. Kids are kids and no matter how much you give them it is never enough, someone will always have something bigger or better. Natalie has a mom who loves her and takes the time to WRITE it down. She may not thank you now...or ever, but she will remember. She will always know that her mom loved her enough to take the time to let her know she is and was the most important thing in her moms life. NOTHING will ever be more important than that.
xoxo
This really made me laugh! My mom always wrote notes on my napkins and I will confess that I hid it from my friends most of my life because I was embarrassed, but I secretly liked it. I was disappointed when she forgot or didn't have time. When I was older it was usually a scripture or quote and it was amazing how often it really applied to my day.
As for the treats, you can tell her that Emily doesn't get that stuff in her lunches either. To break it up, she gets hot lunch twice a week and a juice box, only 100% juice, once a week. I think our kids sometimes exaggerate the comments by other kids and saying that "everyone else" gets it, just to pull at our heart strings and give in.
Hello Lisa
I recall taking my lunch to school. Usually a cheese sandwich made with my mother's homemade bread. Mom cut the bread herself so it did not look like the nice uniform slices my classmates had. Sometimes I had the crust! We also had a piece of fruit, an apple, orange or banana.
I don't recall students laughing at my lunch in the big shopping bag rather than a smaller bag like my classmates. We never had a drink--there were drinking faucets from which we could drink.
Recollections. I do wish I had a slice of my mother's home made "depression bread" any day with a slice of wonderful chedder cheese.
I finally started to walk home from school for lunch. We did not live too far from out schools.
You are a very fine mother taking care of a large family and doing a great job. Tell Nattie my story. I love her very much and wish I could see her more frequently.
Kindly,
Grandad
We love you also. Send me a lunch and I will take it to work. Kids! We sure love them. They even grow up!!!!!! Have a great week.
Every day Nehemiah gets a pb&j with some kind of fruit and a box of 100% juice. I write a note when I remember (which I confess hasn't been for a while). When I do write a note he tells me how much he loves it when I do that. I'm sure she likes her notes and would wonder where they went too if you stopped. You're not a bad mom or a d-u-m-b one either. You can remember that when all those other kids gets type II diabetes and Nat is healthy. ha ha ha.
You could also let her pack her own lunch one day. I was about her age when I did that, but only once. I put in two very large homemade cinnamon rolls (lots of yummy icing) and tons of my halloween candy. I probably had chocolate milk too. I got really sick that day and never did that again. I dumpmed the left over candy and cinnamon roll onto the compost pile in the back yard when I got home. I didn't want my parents to know.
your comment about the papoose cracked me up. they are nice but slightly horrible at the same time. they are almost scarier than the stitches themselves. and even with the papoose, both times i ended up sweaty and almost passed out.
and this post about natalie reminded me how much i like her and how much we miss you guys.
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