Today something happened - two of my kids requested that I NOT pack their lunch tomorrow. The two youngest kids! The ones who have been totally on board from the beginning!
My baby informed me after school today that they were serving spaghetti tomorrow and that she wanted to eat lunch at school. I thought it was cute that at age four, she was aware of the lunch menu enough to spot out her favorite food. So I told her that would be ok.
Then later tonight, my son informed me that he didn't want to take his lunch tomorrow. But he didn't even know what they were having! When I explained to him that it was a choice between spaghetti and burrito, he said he would eat the burrito. I KNOW he doesn't really care for either one! When I asked him why he didn't want me to make his lunch, he said it was because sometimes the food just "smells good" in the cafeteria and he wants it...
Let me explain something about my son for those who don't know this - but he has a mild form of Autism called Asperger's syndrome. AJ likes certain things - a lot. One of the foods he LOVES is chicken. Yesterday, the school served chicken strips, and I think he was upset that he didn't get to eat the chicken strips at school - or at least that's what I got out of the conversation. But for him to choose a school lunch that he doesn't LOVE over a lunch packed from home doesn't make sense... even for him! I even offered to let him pick what he wanted IN the lunch...
I don't think it is a good idea - this early in the game - to MAKE the kids take their lunches to school. My oldest daughter was still all for bringing her lunch from home, so all is not lost. She acually helped me pack mine and her lunch tonight, and we had a chance to talk.
I made a decison to day to STOP binging, and to eliminate certain trigger foods from my diet (candy, ice cream, and donuts). I talked to her about this, and asked for her help to keep me accountable. She mentioned that by doing this (helping me), it will also make her accountable and help her to make the right choices.
I also made sure that I told her this was not about a DIET, but about making healthy choices and stopping the binging. She knows all about the binging, and I feel I have to teach her that it is NOT normal. I think we made progress.
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maybe after they eat their school lunch and then come home... they will go back to bag lunches because they are better!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your conversation with your oldest daughter went very well. Like the commenter above me said maybe the youngest ones will want the packed lunches after eating at school.
ReplyDeleteYou must have felt good after talking to your oldest. It's great that you're really trying to teach her the right way to eat.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the younger ones feel different - are all the other kids buying lunch? That's a tough one - not sure how I would handle it. I think I would just tell them that they could choose 1 school lunch a week, but the rest of the week they will take lunch from home?
Good luck with the binging issue. It is one I struggle with too! For me it is completely an addiction, but I continue to fight it everyday. I'm sure with the support of your daughter you will be able to stop!
ReplyDeleteI think that Jenn's idea sounds great..and fair.
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