Why I Quit Making Fun Lunches For My Kids

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

I’m thick headed sometimes but I finally get it. It’s clear as day. All of the faceless internet trolls, who have never met my family, are making sense now. They have been trying to speak wisdom into my life for the last two years and I haven't been willing to listen. I have now decided to quit making fun bento lunches for my kids forever...or at least until next Monday. Here are five of the actual comments made about my blog that have helped me to reevaluate my life: 

1. Aint nobody got time for that!
I finally see this now. How have I been finding time to make lasting memories with my kids when there is so much other quality stuff to do on the internet? I mean, all of those cat videos on Facebook aren't going to watch themselves. Maybe I can finally spend hours a day searching for other parents doing awesome things on the internet and help them see reality also. Thank you for the help Facebook life coaches, I salute you.


2. You must be a stay-at-home dad.
Actually I'm not, but I should probably become one. According to these wise commenters all a stay-at-home parent does is fight boredom and try to think of things to fill up their schedule. There are no stay-at-home moms or dads that have to get up early, work around the house, take children to school, help with homework, or become exhausted from the long hours. According to the enlightened internet trolls it seems like all these parents do is sit around watching TV and looking for social media to comment on. Sounds amazing, maybe I should try it.

3. There is no way all that food looks like that after your kid takes it to school.
First, thanks for going to my kid’s school and watching them eat lunch to update me on how it looked. That’s not creepy at all. Second, I guess science has proven food has no friction and therefore it is physically impossible for bread and cheese to stay together. We can split the atom, but can't make peanut butter stick to apples. I promise I will never again rebel against these scientific food laws that these school lunch sages have apparently been studying.

4. Shouldn't you be doing more important things with your kids?
This one really hit me hard. I write about parenting so I should know about priorities. I make these lunches once a week, on Sunday nights, after my kids go to bed. I mean, there’s so much I can do with my children at that time of day. The possibilities are endless. I can go in their rooms and watch them sleep or even wait outside their doors for them to wake up in the morning. Here’s to you internet trolls for helping me to get my parenting priorities back in order.

5. If PB&J on white bread and a Twinkie in a brown paper bag were good enough for me as a kid, it’s good enough for my children.

This type of solid reasoning might be the one that finally helped me to change my thinking. Why let the nutritional discoveries we have made in the last 30 years change our mindset on kids’ school lunches? It’s not like we live in an obese society or anything. In fact, this reasoning should help us finally get back to the good old days of believing the earth is flat, using leeches to cure diseases, and not using seatbelts. Let’s throw out those cell phones too because any societal advances after 1980 certainly can't be trusted. If white bread and Twinkies were good enough for us growing up, dang it, they're good enough for everyone!

I hope I've convinced you never to make lunchtime fun for your kids or even to try and do special things for them. These internet gurus are obviously speaking rock solid truth that cannot be argued with. If strangers on the internet don't know what’s best for our family then who does? So I pledge to give up this ridiculous hobby forever. On second thought, maybe I will just keep making fun lunches for my kids, tell my children that I love them, and pass on ideas to help you do the same.


#Fatherhood

71 comments:

  1. Sarah Felder bentorifficSeptember 24, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    Oh, Beau, I love this. Genius as usual :)

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  2. This is beyond perfect!!

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  3. Love it Beau! So tired of the trolls and bashing from people that have NO IDEA what they are talking about. Keep up the fantastic work!

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  4. That's it then, I'm quitting too! Well, if it's OK with my kids. I mean, if they want me to stop making fun lunches and do something more meaningful in the morning while they're having their breakfast and getting dressed, then I guess I'll reluctantly stop playing with their food ;)

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  5. white bread and twinkies! We quit too!

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  6. Awesome, you go Dad! :)

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  7. Haters will hate! Just keep on doing what you do! (What nobody has time for is intricate artwork made out of rice, nori and some mystery meat!!)

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  8. You forgot one!!!!
    "Your just making the rest of us look bad!"
    Gah that one drives me nuts!!!!

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  9. The heck with them! You are doing a good thing.
    I do like twinkies though.

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  10. Omg you nailed it. And, too right you are. Such logical reasons to stop packing fun lunches. I suppose with all that free time I have, i should do something more worthwhile from here on out!!

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  11. Wow, that's crazy! What's really interesting, is that Kristen Lamb over at Warrior Writers did a post on trolls as well. Sorry you've had that.

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  12. Aww Beau! Don't let the man get you down!! xx

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  13. I think once you get people hating on your online presence for silly or illogical reasons, then it means you've made it, whatever making it is. Keep doing what you do. If the kids start telling you that your lunches are stupid and they want white bread and Twinkies, then you can reconsider.

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  14. Screw the critics. Your kids. Your lunches. They will pick up on the idea that you love them, that you care about them, and that you care enough to make their lunch for them.

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  15. I laughed so hard I woke up the baby... darn you!!

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  16. plz dont stop making fun lunches...you are doing an awesome thing for your kids. now, who wouldn't want to be your kids? people suffering from boredom and leading a saddist's life will obviously criticize you..just dont give a damn :) God Bless!!

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  17. You just get trolls and haters......ctrl alt delete all the negativity and continue wih your lunches....your lunches rock...I wish someone took that much trouble to pack my lunch ;-)

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  18. Thanks Oh!Bento UK you are usually the awesome one to deal with haters

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  19. Great...but Twinkies are a guilty pleasure. Shh dont tell anyone.

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  20. Thanks June. I don't know some of rice and nori stuff is pretty amazing!

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  21. Yep, thats a good one. I just didn't have room for them all. These are the ones I get most often.

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  22. Thanks Larry. An occasional Twinkie isn't the end of the world. Although I heard they can last until the end of the world.

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  23. I'll have to check that out, thanks!

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  24. Nah, I'm doing good just had to have a little fun with the haters.

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  25. The price you pay sometimes. Hopefully the baby will sleep again. Someday.

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  26. I'll keep that in mind. Although my son would probably eat Twinkies everyday if I let him.

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  27. Whew there for a moment I thought you were serious. Your lunches give me ideas. I have known about bentos for a long time however I am just getting around to making them (for myself). I think those who are making nasty comments are those who have never tried and are overwhelmed with the thought of how much goes into making a cute lunch. When you first start out there is so much going on but then after getting involved with making a lunch it is an ah ha moment of oh look a cookie cutter and placement. It does not give them reason to be trolls at all. I just wish people would try new things ask questions just don't make assumptions. Anyway keep up the good work and ignore the trolls...or make a troll lunch for them show them some love....

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  28. I think this was my favorite read this week so far, especially the part about being na stay at home parent and making lunches at night. Many kudos to you for all that you do, your lunches are amazing. I can't imagine how much time and effort are put into them. It's sad people can't see them as the awesome creations they are rather than judging. Keep doing what you do!

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  29. The trolls only bash because they are jealous of your life and happiness. Trust me when I say those internet trolls are not much more positive in person. And no, they don't really want to change either. They want everyone else to be just as miserable as they are.

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  30. I make fun lunches for my second grader too and even though I don't have the following like you do, I make it for him because I love him. It takes time and creativity and I really don't care if others think it is a waste of time. For me, it's NOT a waste of time... These trolls should go back to where they belong.

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  31. I just learned of your blog today and I'm SO excited to have found it. I LOVE what you are doing for your children and honestly, we all need to respect one another regardless of our preferences, talents, strengths, weaknesses and craziness! Keep up the great work, my friend!

    I shared your Paper Doll lunch on my FB page tonight with this exact message - RESPECT!

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  32. Saw that and thanks for sharing it! So tired of parents tearing down other parents for doing fun things for their kids. If someone has an issue with it, that's their own deal.

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  33. Thanks Cinnamon_Cappel you make some great points. Ask questions and learn! Fun things like making lunches, baking cakes, planning parties etc. don't have to be complicated or take a long time. Have fun with it and just create memories for your kids!

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  34. Keep making neat lunches for your littles.
    We don't do it every time, but when we do, our child enjoys and appreciates it.
    I'm so sad when parents feel the need to criticize other parents for things like this. You and your children like it & its a family thing? What a perfect reason to continue.

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  35. Very well said, Beau :) You, awesome Dad!

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  36. Love your article so so soooooo much ! (^_-)

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  37. Hah what a great article. I love doing bentos and when my daughter starts school I hope I can start making her amazing little lunches like I used to do when I started making them to take with me to college. I won't ever let anyone discourage me from ever doing something fun and creative that my child will enjoy. <3

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  38. Now that I'm currently a stay-at-home mom, I'm enjoying each morning to make Bento lunches for my boys and share my creations with my friends. For me, it's an expression of love. I love them that's why I want them to be healthy. I would never send them to school with a twinkie and a box of those pre-made "lunchables". YES, it takes a lot of time making these fun lunches. But I could careless if I have to wake up at 4 AM cooking and prepping. Besides, parenting takes a lot of our time, but who's complaining?

    I hope these trolls and haters would just stop judging.

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  39. Thats awesome, never get discouraged from doing what you love!

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  40. You've probably got only a few years before they either start making their own or getting embarrassed by the fun lunches.. So enjoy it while you can! :)

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  41. I am enjoying it but I still got two more waiting for their turn as well when they are old enough!

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  42. oh my gosh you are awesome! Of course I have wondered what it looks like when they get to school...but it sounds like you've figured that out (duh!). Keep on making your kids smile!

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  43. And I bet your creativity makes your kids proud they are the only ones whom will have fun eating lunch

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  44. My daughter is in 8th grade now and I have been doing bento for her since about 2nd grade. She loves it. I don't do the charaben very often, and the past while I don't even decorate it much, but she still loves taking her lunches. I do foods where a little more cooking is involved, like teriyaki chicken, green pea rice, and sauteed mushrooms (though lately she has been getting more of the PB&J with veggies, fruit, and cheese for her bentos). She has some food sensivities and often just does not like the school food. I have posted my little ventures to FaceBook and I get some of the same responses from friends, "Wow, you must have a lot of time" "I don't have the time for that" etc.
    I work full time on top of being a wife and mother. I make the time.
    I would much rather take 45 minutes of my morning making sure my daughter is getting proper nutrition that isn't going to give her stomach pains, be loaded with sugar, or dripping with grease of unknown origin from the mystery meat of the day. Granted the school district has some of the better food options, but they are still sub par. Plus, she often gets the leftovers of her lunch for part of her breakfast. I'll take teriyaki stir fry for breakfast over PopTarts.
    It also makes me feel good to put together something that she likes. She also comes home with stories of how her friends try to swipe her lunch. It's fun for me to make her lunches and fun to hear her stories. As disgruntled as it makes me to have friends who dismiss what I do, I still love doing it. 45 minutes of my day is worth it.
    And I figure the nay-sayers are just upset because they don't want to bother trying something like this, but see it as a reflection of their shortcomings. ;)

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  45. Tonight I'll be sure to sit outside my boys' room and listen to them breathe. :)

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  46. Thanks Homemaidsimple! Most of the time it looks exactly as planned. Every once in awhile there is a decapitated princess. But that happens. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  47. I just came across this on facebook in an article and i think your a great dad. How many parents think to do something this cool and special for their child? My dad was a single dad raising my brother and i and he spent time with us doing things, teching us things. I now have countless memories to share with my children one day and ideas as well. Theyre your children and you make your own memories as you want, not what some bitter turd says. Just sayin'.

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  48. There’s so much I can do with my children at that time of day. The possibilities are endless. I can go in their rooms and watch them sleep or even wait outside their doors for them to wake up in the morning. Here’s to you internet trolls for helping me to get my parenting priorities back in order.

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  49. I certainly thank you for writing this article well, hopefully it will become a reference in journals or other scientific writings and can help many people. thanks.

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  51. I’m thick headed sometimes but I finally get it. It’s clear as day.

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