Mommy School 2011-12: What I've Learned This Year About Snacks

It's that time of year--parties, programs, graduations.  Teachers assess what kids have learned and kids reflect on how they've grown up since August 2011.

I've seen such changes in my kids this school year--big and small.  Then I thought about what I've learned about mothering this school year, and there were a few things I learned as well.  You'd think that after you've been parenting as long as I have that you'd have it down. 

You'd be wrong.

I thought I'd share a few of the best things I improved since August 2011.

Every day after school, my kids burst through the door, throw backpacks wherever they can, and say, "I'm hungry!"  Until this year, I would tell them to find something to eat and get on their homework.  We always have a huge bowl of fruit on the counter, but they would wander to the pantry and find a sleeve of crackers or a package of fruit snacks most of the time.

This year I changed my approach.  Fifteen minutes before school got out, I would take some time to cut one vegetable and one fruit--enough to fill all the empty bellies.  Then I would take the tray to the homework table and when the kids came home, we would snack while they told me about their day and started their homework.  I discovered that they didn't miss the crackers or fruit snacks at all and we had an extra serving or two of fruit and vegies that day. Some days I would forget or be too busy to prepare this snack for them, and on those days Micah would invariably look at the desk and ask, "Where's our snack today?"

I found that it became part of their routine and turned a crazy, complaining time of day around to a positive way to unwind from school. I'm definitely keeping this up next year (and over the summer, too!)