This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Smuckers.
I’m not sure where I first got the idea of putting notes in our little man’s lunchbox. I know that it wasn’t any sort of original concept, so my best guess is that I probably saw Claire Huxtable put a note in one of her kids’ lunchboxes on The Cosby Show when I was younger. Of course I wasn’t consciously trying to pick up parenting tips from a TV show when I was, you know, thirteen, but I’ve never been one to underestimate the lasting influence of a family sitcom.
I mean, do you know how many times I’ve thought about Jan Brady running into the family portrait on her bicycle when I’m trying to teach our son about being responsible?
YOU ONLY HAD TO WEAR THE GLASSES, JAN.
YOU ONLY HAD TO WEAR THE GLASSES.
Regardless of where the idea originated, I first started putting notes in Alex’s lunches when he was in Mothers’ Day Out. At the time he couldn’t really read, of course, so I’d just draw a big heart and then sign “Mama” at the bottom. When he started four year-old kindergarten and was recognizing a few words, I moved up to “Alex – I love you, Mama” – and the notes have gotten more elaborate over the last couple of years. He always thanks me for the notes when I pick him up from school, and lots of times I’ll find the notes when I unpack his lunchbox – with little jelly or Cheetos fingerprints all along the edges.
Last year Alex ate in the school cafeteria a good bit (I have NO IDEA why, but he really gets a kick out of going through the lunch line), so I didn’t pack lunches nearly as often. But at the end of the school year, his class had a field day, and since the cafeteria was going to be closed that day, the teachers asked us to send a lunch to school.
It just so happened that the week of field day was a hard one for us because our dog Maggie died. She hadn’t been well for awhile, and I don’t think any of us were prepared for how difficult it was when she finally passed away. Alex took her death particularly hard – it was the first time he’s ever had to say good-bye to something he loved – and the week was filled with hard questions and hard answers. We talked a lot about the fact that there’s purpose in every single thing that happens in our lives, and we talked about how grateful we were that we got to share life with Maggie.
But oh, how he cried. And oh, how he missed her.
When I was packing his lunch the Friday morning of field day, I decided to stick a note inside. I tried to make it upbeat and comforting because I knew how much his little heart was still hurting. And sure enough, when I picked him up from school that afternoon, he said, “Thanks, Mama, for the note you sent me. It made me smile.”
A few days ago I asked Alex why he likes it so much when I send him little notes, and he said, “Because when I’m thinking about you at school, the note reminds me that you’re thinking about me, too.” It’s such a small thing to do – it literally takes less than a minute – but I really do believe that that kind of intentional, loving communication with our kids reaps huge benefits. If you’ve ever written a note to your child(ren), you know that you can see the joy all over their face when they read it.
After the little guy and I talked for a few minutes about lunchbox notes, I had a hunch. Since field day was the last lunch I packed this past school year – and since he told me at the end of that day that he threw away all of his trash at school – I wondered if maybe he held onto the note when lunch was over. So I went in the pantry, pulled the lunchbox off the shelf, and sure enough, I found what I suspected that I would.
He kept it.
Bless his heart.
To celebrate the ways that moms connect with their kids over lunch – whether it’s by putting a note in a lunchbox or making special plans to sit in the backyard and eat sandwiches together – Smuckers has created a really neat program called Kidvitations. It’s a way for parents to intentionally make mealtimes special – and I think it’s awesome. I also think that you and your kids are going to love it.
If you’d like to enter to win a $200 Visa gift card, leave a comment and tell me one of your favorite ways to connect with the children in your life.
There are also BlogHer.com Smuckers roundup page.
And if you enjoy a little light reading, you’re sure to be delighted by the BlogHer.com Smuckers official rules.
This giveaway will run through August 23rd, at which point I’ll use random.org to select a winner.
Can’t wait to read your comments!
Create a Kidvitation!
Home can be a busy place with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. That’s why it’s important to set time aside to spend with your kids. Use Smuckers® Kidvitations to invite your kids to share a moment with you over a perfect PB&J. Check it out.
This giveaway is now closed.
My girl is still pretty young, so I focus on connecting with her by doing things together. I’m not exactly Picasso, but she likes to paint, so we paint. I don’t exactly think doing dishes is fun, but she sure does, so I made her a little apron like the one I wear, and we do the dishes. And waste gobs of water. And rinse the same dish for 5 whole minutes. It’s great fun. ;)
When I was single, I spent time with a family every week and we played “The Hi-Lo Game” around the dinner table: everyone shared their high of the day and their low of the day. The mom explained that it was a good way for her to know what her kids were going through at school- the good & the bad. I can’t wait to play with my own daughter when she’s older.
Reading to her!
I am Facebook friends with my kids and all the nieces/nephews. I often know what is going on with them before their parents.
Spend QUALITY time!! Reading and playing board games are fun and can be educational too!
We always eat dinner together, and we all take turns sharing one good thing that happened during the day. It draws out a lot of conversation. We call it ‘good news’.
We do everything together….read books, play games, ride bikes, take walks, swim, pray, eat and more!! God has blessed my husband and I with two precious kids and we treasure each moment!
My 15yo daughter likes to sit on my lap and watch home movies featuring her (and sometimes her younger brother–now 12) when she was a baby. It’s really sweet for me–such precious memories!
This does not count as a contest entry, I know…it’s just I scrolled back up to the top of the comments and read,
“And if you enjoy a little light reading, you’re sure to be delighted by the BlogHer.com Smuckers official rules.”
Cracked me up! I guess when I’m tired, I’m easily amused. gotcha on this one tho: I read the rules before I got here!
I love taking each of my kids on individual dates where I can spend time hearing what’s going on in their world without interruption. It helps them to know that I really care when I take that special time away with just them.
My kids have a journal under their pillows. I write encouraging notes to them and let them find it. They page through it when they are sad or can’t sleep.
We do lots of reading and talking, singing and dancing together throughout the day. Just a few moments of quietness or silliness together adds so much to our daily rhythms at home.
I love to go to their rooms at night and just sit on the bed with them and talk. Good times.
We sit down to eat dinner together every night and talk about the day.
My son is only six months old and he starts daycare for the first time on Monday… I’m more than a little broken up about it! But I can’t wait to send him notes in his lunchbox, leave notes for him on his pillow, etc. I think it’s a great way to let him know that he is on my mind 24/7 (which of course he is)!
When I know I’m going to see the kids, I always try to have a few books for them. Even something small from the dollar store. Reading is great!
I talk to my grown daughter every day as she goes home from work and FB my son. I read to the grands at night when they are here. The oldest always wanted to cook a spice cake and ice it, so we did. I gave her those for Christmas one year.
my three are teens and they have different activities than they did when they were younger.
THey still want mom in their lives and I’m lucky for that.
My daughter and I go shopping together and my one son likes to go out shopping too.
My oldest loves video games. The other two are ok with them… until my oldest taught me how to play on the xbox. Now all 3 want to play with me(well, really against! LOL)
Even though I work, I’ve been lucky enough to always be there before school and after school. So I always make sure to ask about his day and listen to whatever happened and any vents he might have.
My son and I unpack his school backpack together when he gets home. As we go through the papers, he tells me what he was doing, if he liked the activity, and really opens up about his school day. If we didn’t go it, I would be left with the ususal “fine,” when I ask how school went.
My favorite way to connect with my nieces and nephews is through books. Whether we read together, visit the library, act like characters – it’s all great fun!
My kids love to go bowling with me. I think that’s drawn us close as a family. And we sure do have fun!
Getting on the floor and spending one on one time with my kids. I can always make time for us to be alone, if it’s while the other is napping or while dad is giving one a bath. It’s just the two of us and I’m totally present, not “Just a minute”-ing anyone or clicking through my Blackberry.
We always eat dinner together and the kids tell about what they did that day that they were proud of.
One of our special connect times is in the morning on the way to school. We pray together and talk about what a fabulous day we are going to have.
My little girl and I have a cute game we play occasionally. I ‘ll say “Guess What?” and she’ll try to say “I love you to infinity and beyond” before I say it first. Kinda goofy, but its our thing!
Tara
giveawayblogs@gmail.com
I talk openly with my team and listen to her until she is finshed talking. It’s important to keep an open line of communication.
even though my son is 7, we still “rock” every night. We sit together on our lazy boy recliner and talk about our day.
My are grown and gone now so, other than visiting as much as possible, the best way to connect with them and the grandkids is via phone or internet
We eat dinner together as a family each night and talk about our day, as well as read a story together each night.
I love to read to my nieces and nephews. It gives us quality time together and also improves their brainpower.
Until two weeks ago I worked from home (I got a job). Our house was the house that all the kids in the neighborhood hung out at. I connected with my kids by being here for them and their friends. We will have to see what next summer brings.
We play card games together.
My son is 4 1/2 and everynight since I can remember I have sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to him before bed. We always read and say our prayer and have other songs but that is a staple!
I connect with my children over dinner.. connections should always include food
I love walking the dog with my teen son. We have such great talks as we walk.
I have two kids. It’s nice when I can divide and conquer giving each kid my undivided attention during an outing or just at the house – usually I let them pick what they want to do. They also like being the “only child” once in a while.
I leave notes for my kids on their lunch sacks or napkins. Everyone can see them, but only my kiddos know what they say. For instance: MDLMS, IHYHAGD. DFHMILY. YAVSTM. LM.
My dear Little Miss Sunshine. I hope you have a great day. Don’t forget how much I love you. You are very special to me. Love, Mom.
It is amazing how few times they come home without deciphering the message. We are on the same brain wave and it’s a fun way to communicate. Now, they send the same kind of notes in MY lunch when I go off to my college classes!
My children are out of the house now so I often send a text message or a message on Facebook just to let them know I’m thinking about them. Especially when I know they are really busy and can’t talk.
My favorite mode of connecting with my kids has become texting.
My daughter is 10 and we read books together aloud taking turns. Then we lay in bed and talk about life
It’s so simple as to sit down with them. No tv, no computer. My kids can chat up a storm! And I could sit for hours listening to their questions or the crazy things that come out of their mouths. Simply give your kids the time of day that you give the internet, work, bills, or the house!
One of my favorite ways to connect with my daughter is with music – we both love it and love singing along!
Both my daughters love to cook with me so we try to cook together from time to time. It’s fun and I hope they’re learning to love to cook! Their future husbands will thank me!!
Well, I tried to connect through the lunch box when I put Spiderman stickers on Wog’s napkin on his first day of 4K this year. He returned home with his napkin unused and 48 hours worth of questions about why there were stickers on his napkin. Over a week later and it still comes up.
I like to take each one out to do something on their own with me – could be lunch, a picnic, a bike ride – the activity doesn’t matter… just the fact that we spent time just the two of us!
my youngest of 3 girls is starting high school! while she’s still too young to drive, i drive her to school every morning. the bus comes EARLY, so she appreciates my sacrifice for her extra minutes of sleep, and i appreciate her starting the day with me. those few minutes of conversation set the tone for the day, and help her share when she has to update me in the evenings.
I connect with my girls by cooking and baking with them a couple times a week. Also we have a sit down dinner every night and talk about what happened during the day.
I love having them help with a simple projects – baking, wrapping gifts, sending out Christmas cards. They love to help and they are right there to talk to and it keeps them out of trouble while you are occupied (mostly!).
I was able to get help at dinner time, when the kids were young enough that activities didn’t send us ten different ways, by reading. I would find a good book, hopefully with a Biblically oriented theme and read out loud while the kids cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen. “A View from the Zoo” was a real favorite. It had chapters just the right length and centered on different animals and funny stories. The story then helped apply a good principle. Family time. Work ethic. Biblical principle. YEA!
One of our favorite ways to connect is playing at the park. We all enjoy being outside, hiking, biking, playing and having picnics.
My favorite way to connect is to bring a small picnic lunch, which we eat together under a big tree next to our favorite fountain in the park.
Dancing to music together!
Eating together as a family- I love to hear about their days!
kerin0874 (at) yahoo (dot) com
We have family night every Friday during the school year. We have a blast just spending time together and reuperating from the week.
We all take a day and grab the fishing poles, pack a picnic and spend time at the lake together.
Just nature and each other.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
We ;ike to walk and enjoy nature. Looking at trees, flowers and bugs of all kinds.
I have always written notes to my children and tucked them either in their lunch boxes or in a pocket. After school, we have snack time…we sit together at the kitchen table, munch on vegies, and talk about our days…I love being a mother! :-) Thank you
I love to cook with them. It’s a great way to connect while having fun.
we bond while making dinner together – its a great way to get quality time in
we have movie night every sat night, good times
I don’t have children of my own, but the kids that I know love to get a note in the mail. It makes them feel very special.
I love to give my daughter cards for every special moment in her life. The important events to her she will keep the card and have an extra way to remember that special event
My favorite way to connect with my son is through email. While I prefer face-to-face, he’ll open up more in an email.
Penguins are our favorite, so we LOVE to watch penguin movies and penguins on youtube together. I have a huge California King bed and we just pile on there with snacks and a laptop and relax.
I enjoy snuggling up with my kids and reading a book. Or sometimes we make up our own silly stories.
My fave way to connect, is I rotate who gets to go to the store, post office, etc, with me. It gives me some one on one time with each of the kids & they usually get a special treat.
reading them a book every night, its my favorite time of the day :0)
One of my fondest memories is having milk and cookies with my mom after school and telling her about my day. She is still a great listener! I try to do the same with my daughter!
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/JanetandMaya/status/21831473148
At night, when I tuck my girls in to sleep, they read a story to me and we talk about their day…
no19034770 AT YAHOO DOT COM
I have 3 kids and they all love going on a date with Mommy. They love the one on one attention. Our dates can be as simple as a trip to the grocery store or a more planned date like a ride on the bike trail.
One way I connect with my kids is to ride the rollercoasters at amusement parks. I am terrified but it give them memories that will last a lifetime.
My daughter is only 3, so no notes in school lunches yet. My favorite way to connect with her is our nighttime ritual which consists of reading a book and then snuggling, talking about what we did that day and playing the “Why I Love You” game. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
We watch cooking competitions and be the judges. It’s such a fun time!
When she was younger my daughter used to make my lunch. Sometimes she would put a picture, special treat or small note inside.
the son and I play multiplayer games via our home network, against and with each other. He’ll be in his bedroom yelling around the corner to my office or we’ll connect via game chats… he gets his video game fix and we connect at the same time
As a single mom I had very little money for entertainment and I usually worked more than one job to make ends meet. But Sunday afternoons were reserved for days at the park. We explored every park near and far just to see what we could discover. My kids still talk about some of their favorite places.
The one thing that I’ve always done is pack a small snack (usually a rice crispy treat) and I always give an inspirational quote on them. I love the commercial with the locker combo on the snack because I’ve done this for years!
I connect with my son over cooking lessons – now that he’s older, I want him to be able to cook at least simple things and he has a real interest in it.
I work nights, and our teen daughter will often stir a bit when I get home in the wee hours of the morning. We always seem to have good talks during that time, when everyone else is asleep and it’s just the two of us. (Sometimes we’ll even have some hot chocolate while we talk – just to make the time together a little bit sweeter!) :)
Many thanks!
Our family always has dinner together, that way we don’t become ‘strangers’….
My daughter and I connect after school I always pick her up and have a brown bag with a surprise snack!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
Our boys are 5 and 8 they love their cuddle time at night…they will talk and talk…about everything…if we are getting to bed late..we still make sure to take the time to talk and cuddle..:)
we love texting each other.even though their still young and we could be in another room,its good to see a i love you text.
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com
I love to take my grand daughter to the dollar store, as it is her favorite place to go.
I like shopping with them. They seem to open up and talk more and it’s a look into their always-changing tastes.
I have a Granddaughter that only likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Her favorite jelly is Smuckers strawberry. I have a 9 year old Niece that I love dearly too. I will get my Grandkids and her and we do fun things like scrapbooking and having bonfires and make smores. My Granddaughter that loves Smuckers Strawberry jelly puts it on her smores!! She is a jelly nut!!
Our special time together is story time. Each boy gets alone time with mom each evening. I read to them first and then they read to me and it is really a great way to bond.
We plan something special at least once a week. It might just be a picnic at the park or an art or science museum but we always look forward to it and it sparks a lot of good conversations. Thanks!
I lay down in bed with my 12 year old for a few minutes – she still loves it!
Thanks
It is important to share a common interest with your children and have started them reading early as my mother did with me, and now we share a love of books and reading.
I love connecting with my son by putting him to bed at night and cuddling next to him while he falls asleep.
I love praying with my daughters (twins, age 8) every morning and every night, it’s such a special time for us. I also like to make special time for them as individuals, which is really important for them as twins. I’ll take one to the store and the other out to lunch and then vice versa the next week….they really enjoy the time alone together.
For the littlest one we play the games he wants to play (like racing Hot Wheel cars) and we read. For the tween, we draw, shop and read. For the teen we have game night and recently, we have been searching for colleges. And for all of the above, we garden together in the warmer months of the year.
My favorite way is by taking quiet walks together.
I connect with my goddaughter by watching Yo Gabba Gabba with her its our fave show haha
I connect through books: reading them to the kids; giving them books; taking them to the library. Thanks for the contest.
I like connecting with children through arts and crafts. There is something special about creating something beautiful with each other.
When my children where born I began writing them letters that I keep in the back of their baby book. I have a collection for each of them so when they are able to read they can read about how much I love them.
With the granddaughter I learned to use a simple question learned, and that is simply to ask , “what are you thinking.” The best conversations have followed that particular question.