Monday, April 23, 2007

Bring your chips to the table...


So last tuesday I was the proud momma who floated out of pre-school with my brilliant tot in hand, after hearing the report that he has been "the best of the boys" in class this year. I know, I know...it is a slightly backhanded compliment, as it implies that he will never be teacher's pet due to the inexplicable difficulties imposed by his gender. But trust me moms, those of you who have boys, understand that such a compliment if one to be proud of!


Yet Thursday afternoon was a slightly different story.
I was taken aside for the first time.
Ms. Libby asked to speak to me a moment. {Gulp} And I smilingly bbliged, dreading what was to come next. She began by asking, "would you be opposed to putting potato chips in Donovan's lunch box from now on?" Relieved but baffled I responded with "Of course not, but why?"
Well apparently my "best of the boys" decided that there was a definite unfairness to the lunchbox allotments, and during lunchtime took it upon himself to rob every one of his 9 classmates of their unprotected potato chips until he finally had to be removed from the table. I really had to stifle my laughter at this all-to-easy-to-picture image. The poor teacher felt bad, telling me she was worried I would be opposed to putting chips in my child's lunch, as I always seemed to stock his lunch box on the healthy side. But what she doesn't know is that while my child's lunch box might be full of fresh veggies, fruits & cheese every time, it doesn't mean that our home is devoid of junkfood by any means. (If Daddy packed lunches around here she would have had a much different opinion!!!) The most hilarious thing was that I really had been priding myself on Donovan's lunches, in the competitive way that us moms undoubtedly do, making sure that I was healthy but appealing to my finicky toddler....but all the while trying to keep up with the Joneses. -Which is silly since no parents ever see the kids lunches anyway! But its one of the many motherly mental hangups I have.
So tomorrow morning Donovan will get a pleasant surprise in his lunch, as next to his strawberries and carrot sticks will be a crisp bag of potato chips. Hopefully his poor classmates can eat their lunch in peace again.

1 comment:

Mama Knucker Hatch said...

I can completely relate to your Donovan, and you. Mom packed my lunch from kindergarten to senior year of highschool. I think I had hot lunch maybe 5 times. Ever. I was always so jealous of the hot lunch crew. It was this big mystery to me. They got to have pizza every week, while I was stuck with the standard PBJ, whole apple (which had sat on top of my PBJ for 12 hours), and embarrassing graham crackers with frosting in the middle.

But when Dad packed our lunch it was worse! That's when we'd open our bag and find peanut butter and maple syrup sandwiches. EEEWWW! Moms do know best.

Your comment about keeping up with the Joneses even when you never see the results, is so entirely true and funny. Don't you just want to see his face when he opens up his bag lunch with the chips in it? :)