When I was in third grade, my best friend Jenny had a note from her mom in her lunchbox every day. Nothing that would win a Pulitzer Prize, but just a simple sentiment like “I love you” or “Have a great day.” Maybe this token made up for the fact that Jenny’s lunchbox reeked of hard-boiled egg, but I have to admit I sometimes envied those sweet gestures. Remembering this one day last year, I discreetly tucked a note into my daughter’s lunchbox–nothing mushy or meant to embarrass her, but it didn’t go over very well. “Why did you write to me?,” she asked me later that afternoon. “I don’t know,” I responded. “Besides, didn’t you tell me one of your friends gets a note in her lunch from her mom?” “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I want one,” she countered. While I generally pride myself on my writing, I’ll admit this was not my best work. So when Lunchbox Buddies recently landed in my mailbox, I thought I might replace my note-writing with something a little more edgy. This packet of 20 notes features cartoon characters that embody kid speak in a way that the average parent frankly just doesn’t pull off so well. So if I write “Have an awesome day,” it just doesn’t have the same effect as a kooky-looking dude named Buggy saying it. The same can be said for a one-eyed guy named Ivan proclaiming “I’ve got my eye on you.” So, if notes like these make my kid smile, then I can get past my hurt feelings. (Sniff.) No, really, I can…
In a Nutshell: A fun way to connect with your kid when you’re both on the go, Lunchbox Buddies are a brown-bag best.
