Lunch Boxes for Learning

(Picture c/o fortefitness.com)

Now that school is back in full swing, you might be looking for some healthy, convenient and creative lunch box items. This week we have some tips for packing lunches that meet your standards for healthy eating, as well as food that is delicious enough for your kids to devour.

Here are a few of our suggestions on what to pack, and how to pack it. We hope you're inspired by these ideas!

(1) Ziplock Bentos 
For an inexpensive and unassuming lunchbox, $13.95 is an excellent price to pay for four of these guys. Dishwasher safe, with compartments for a main item and two snacks, these boxes are an all-in-one lunch station. Considering how often kids lose their lunch boxes, these might be the way to go. (For a more expensive, but sturdier version, check out the Planet Box)

What to pack in a Bento Box: 
(look above at the picture!)
- sandwiches (e.g. Deli meat, sunbutter and jam, grilled cheese)
- bagels with cream cheese
- wraps
- sides; grapes, dried strawberries, blueberries, cucumber pieces, baby carrots, goldfish, granola chunks etc.

(2) Thermos Food Jars
In order to send your kids to school with something other than a sandwich, Thermos food jars open up new possibilities. Make sure you wash your Thermos thoroughly, and as soon as possible, to avoid it getting nasty.

What to pack in a Thermos: 
- soup
- mac and cheese
- spaghetti and meatballs
- fried rice
- risotto

(3) French Bull Freezable Lunch Box
Ziplock Bento Boxes will work excellently with a French Bull Freezable. Most lunch items will taste better when chilled, and lunch bags like this will instantly turn a boring lunch into something a little more appetizing.

They are especially good for: 
- yogurt
- fruit
- dips (e.g. Hummus, ranch)
- drinks

If you have any suggestions to add, comment below!

10 Morning Routine Hacks

(1) Lay out clothes the night before 
Until your child is ready to choose their own clothes, set some out the night before. When they start choosing for themselves, delegate the job to the child - but still lay them out at night. You can also lay the clothes on a chair, or the floor, the way a person would wear the clothes. For shoes-on households, optimum "getting ready" speed can be achieved by keeping shoes in the child's bedroom.

(2) Get a good night's sleep
Within the bedtime routine, budget for time to wind down. Very young children might need 30 minutes of stories read to them in a dimly lit room after a relaxing bath time. Once the child is a reader, offer to read aloud or have them read independently. Try valerian extract if sleep is a problem. Avoid screens and sugar before bed!

(3) Wake up before the kids
If you go on to work after dropping the kids at school, you might consider getting up a 30-60min before them. It might feel like you're sacrificing sleep, but having this "me-time" built into the day will provide some pockets of sanity and refreshment. Shower in peace, eat breakfast without having to mediate sibling disagreements, and maybe even see the sun rise with a good book.

(4) Wake the kids up 15 min earlier
Give your kids enough time to wake up slowly. A 15 minute heads-up might be the difference between getting to school on time or late.

(5) Checklist!
For children struggling with the demands of a morning routine, create a checklist (words for readers, pictures for pre-readers.) Have them get dressed first thing - you're already where the clothes are. Seriously, this will save you 5-10 minutes.

Basic Schedule (in order)... 
Wake up, get dressed (inc. shoes), use bathroom, breakfast, plate to sink, wash face/brush teeth/do hair, put lunch in backpack, get in car.

(6) Timers 
Most children are really motivated by using a timer. It's a competition against themselves! Write down yesterday's time for getting ready, try to beat it the next day. You'd be surprised at how much time this shaves off your morning routine.

(7) Responsibility sticker charts 
Delegate chores and responsibilities to your children, instead of doing everything yourself. Even the youngest children can take their own plates and cups to the sink after meal times. Around 4-5 years old, a child can start packing the plates/cups into the dishwasher or washing it by hand. Around kindergarten age, a child can be expected to make their own bed by pulling up the covers. Older children can be given tasks like; feeding pets, walking the dog, making their own breakfast, packing their own lunch etc.

(8) Lunch plans 
If packing lunch the night before leaves your sandwiches soggy, or food less-than-optimal, make a plan so there's no "decision fatigue" as you're packing. Know what's going in those lunch boxes, and rest assured that it's balanced and enough for a day of learning.

(9) Shoes without laces 
Parents - teach your kids how to tie laces, by all means! But if you're wanting to get out of the house quickly, make the daily shoe choice one without laces. (Watch for an upcoming blog post on Great Shoes without laces!)

(10) Incentives 
What will motivate your child to get ready in a timely manner? Extra play time? Extra Minecraft? Use incentives to make your life easier.

Keep Calm and Carry On

(We love this image from Deizie at Deviant Art  )

One of the most significant ways that you can help an anxious child is by staying calm. Easier said than done, right? We know that parenting is a tough gig, so we have some tips to make it more realistic to be able to stay calm in the midst of a storm. 

(1) It takes a village to raise a child 

While parents are undoubtedly the most important people in a child's world, it's a good idea to remember that particularly as children grow, the more positive adult influences the better. A well-balanced, positive upbringing isn't marked by parental perfection - it's produced by learning to let go a little every day. Positive childhood experiences are gained when others are involved in the process, taking some weight off of the parents' shoulders and distributing it between others who love your children. You might think your child is too difficult for others to truly love, but we guarantee you that there are adults out there who will build rapport, pursue a relationship and advocate heavily with and for your child. (If you're having trouble finding this, call us on (415) 971-8214 - we're your people!)

(2) Identify your own anxiety levels 

What are you anxious about? Write it down. Break big anxieties into little actions you can take today. You might be snapping at your child (or being super grumpy) about things that have nothing to do with them. 

(3) Keep your expectations in check 

Are you expecting apples from an orange tree? If your child has Autism, be careful with expectations regarding executive functions and social skills. There's every chance that you're wanting from them what they can't give. Take the pressure off by acknowledging with your child that some things are really difficult because of the way their brain is wired, so you're going to work on it together. 

(4) Under-react where possible 

When your child produces constant back-talk, refuses tasks outright, throws things and completely blows their top - breathe. Resist the urge to yell, and fight back. Remember that you are the model for alternative behavior choices, so having a meltdown about their meltdown will dull your message. Put the responsibility of the behavior back on the child, use natural consequences, insist on repairs when things are broken and most importantly... use a quiet voice!

(5) Be light hearted 

If you think your child will react a certain way when you ask them to do something, call it. For example, if you ask them to do their homework, start with, "I know that you're probably going to say no, "That's boring!" or you might feel like yelling when I tell you this, but it's time for homework!" Saying it out loud might just change their reaction, or could even be a little bit funny. Maybe when they're saying something is boring - join them! Find a silly way to attack an ongoing problem, and it may just work!

If you are having a hard time with your own anxiety levels, it might be worth reaching out for help. If a therapist is out of the question, a regular coffee date with friends might provide some space for adult conversation. 

Boredom Leads to Creativity

What if we told you that letting your kids be bored is not only OK, but actually beneficial to their creative minds? Well, that's our opinion anyway. Leave room for boredom, because that is where some of the most amazing ideas come to fruition.

Many parents fill every waking moment of their child's life with activity, and most kids would happily spend every waking hour playing games on the iPad or watching Netflix. In the absence of spoon-fed technology solutions or structured activity, what would your child choose to do? They will probably complain that there's nothing to do - but wait it out.

The most mundane of items can transform into a game when a child is left to their own devices. Business cards become a house of cards, which soon becomes a city. Paper menus from a local restaurant are now paper airplanes, and shoe boxes are their hangars. Large appliance boxes are absolutely priceless when it comes to making projects - they're a car, an animal, a house, a rocket - you name it!

Technology isn't the enemy, either. Many toys create pathways towards learning how to code or build robotics. How can you maximize your child's experience with technology to enhance their creativity, rather than simply consuming ready made content?

Leave some gaps, and watch as creativity starts to develop.