But no more.
There is a new regime around here.
Last year I got so fed up with O coming home each day with most of her packed lunch untouched, that I insisted she had school dinners for a term (at least if she didn't eat anything I was not the one having to throw away leftovers). Within a week she declared that school lunches were delicious and they were much better than packed lunches anyway because she got to sit at a bigger table than the lowly packed lunch people.
That left C, who was a harder nut to crack because he does love ham sandwiches, and he insisted that packed lunches were healthier and tastier than school lunches because I put so much fruit in them (he knows how to flatter me). We reached a compromise whereby he had school dinners twice a week to save my sanity, and packed lunches three days a week to save his.
But even those three days a week were sending me over the edge. Making a packed lunch week in, week out, and year after year is just so uninspiring and tedious.
So over the summer holidays I decided that the time had come for C to start making his own packed lunches.
And really, I don't know why I didn't think of this before. He is more than capable.
All I need to do is make sure that there is bread and fruit in the house, and he can do the rest. When I came downstairs to take these pictures this morning I found him washing lettuce and listening to Radio 2.
Quite the picture of domesticity, and a much nicer start to the day than me gazing into the fridge and sighing.
...washing lettuce and listening to radio 2..
ReplyDeletetoo funny!
I'm still making packed lunches and No2 is in Year 10. Just saying!
Oh, he is too lovely with his lettuce and his radio.
ReplyDeleteI only just hit on the idea of freezing a load of sandwiches in labelled bags. Somehow half an hour every few weeks is preferable to two minutes every morning - and it means that the Lattes can have different fillings, which they previously moaned about. I couldn't be doing with two fillings at 7am.
Oh you are a brilliant mum- as for the Coffee Lady... I'm not worthy!
ReplyDeleteBless. Lettuce and Radio 2. I have a feeling he just skipped 20 years of his life!!
ReplyDeleteWe are school dinners every day - hooray! Life changing.
What a cool dude! Luckily our daughter loves Czech food, and her cafeteria delivers it up with aplomb (and much dumplings and beef sauce). She does take a snack every day for second breakfast but has grown used to a cheese roll after our elaborate ham sandwiches went untouched for too many days in a row!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hate making packed lunches too, especially as my eldest will only eat marmite sandwiches! (I often ask him if he gets bored by this but apparently not!) Since starting secondary school last year though he has been in charge of making his own lunch too, so I only have the youngest to deal with - and thankfully he is less fussy than his brother so there is at least a bit more variety in it!
ReplyDeleteI solved the problem once they were 13 by paying a certain amount into their own bank account. If they buy lunch they pay. If they make it the ingredients are at home and free, I only do my own if I need lunch. Hey prest lots of made lunches.
ReplyDeleteI agree its got to be one of the down sides to parent hood. Who invented lunch anyway?
My children are doomed to a life of Radio 2 bless - I know they'll hate me when they are older in a nightclub saying have you got any Glen Campbell - lol. My son always uses the excuse of not being able to spread the marg!!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I made packed lunches for my four when they were at school, I couldn't have coped with the bickering in the morning if they had made their own!
ReplyDeleteHe chooses lettuce of his own accord? Blimey, you're doing better than I am. I have one who will only eat school lunches, and one who will only eat packed ones. The sandwich one loves fruit and never tires of cherry tomatoes so has no trouble reaching 5 a day. The little one - well, let's just say that having witnessed school lunchtime (I have a new part time job there ;-) I think I need to be force feeding her carrots and apples when she gets home ...
ReplyDeleteahhh, that lovely boy. What a star, and good for you as well. Get C to ring into Chris Evans on radio 2 as part of the 'What I did for the First Time today' slot-v.entertaining and we will all get to hear him on the radio!
ReplyDeleteHope the novelty on sandwich making doesn't wear off anytime soon. I have been telling my colleague that his 14 year old son is more than capable of making his own lunch, and that he should stop using making their lunch as an excuse for being late to work in the morning!!
Isn't it great to watch the children work?! My son has just started in year 8 and has recently started making me cups of tea! It is good to train them while they are still young!
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea! But now you need to go one step further - like us - and get him to make your packed lunches too! Dot regularly makes lunch for herself and for me and Mr Locket! She comes and gets my order from me when I'm still half asleep! How's that for service?
ReplyDeleteLucy x