I follow a popular mom blogger on Facebook. She’s really funny and has thousands of followers. This morning she used her platform to laugh at herself about a banana she found in last year’s lunch box. She said it was the “I am a good mom” banana, suggesting that if she’d left it out of her daughter’s lunch box, she’d feel like a worse parent. She went on to say “Let’s be real. My daughter survives on cheese and carbs.” Can anyone relate?
Her intention, I’m positive, was to uplift other moms out of a shameful place. And I can’t say enough how I support that notion.
But it hurt my heart to see over 1,100 moms corroborating in the comments and nearly 300 shares of the post, spreading that it’s more “real” to live and raise children without fruit and vegetables in their lunch boxes. One mom even said, “School is hard, we can fight about veggies at home. My kids eat their favorite foods at school.”
Maybe there’s a reason that innately, a mom wishes to pack a banana with lunch. What would happen if we leaned into that space as parents and SUPPORTED each other there? What would happen if this mom blogger was suddenly aware of the magnificence of her choice to add that banana and encouraged to make more like it?
If you know me, you know my awareness of the struggle for healthy food options, especially with children. I fight every second of the day. I guess that’s why I’m here – to say I ALSO live in today’s world where we are constantly on the go, goldfish are cheaper than beet crackers, and chicken nuggets are almost always easier than a home-cooked meal. But I don’t find it funny at all… In fact, I’m overwhelmed a lot of the time. I need all the support I can get to prevent that year-old banana!
Just me?
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon everyday. Its always interesting to read articles from other authors and practice something from other sites.