The Lunch Situation

Each night after dinner as I put the left overs away and begin the meticulous process of cleaning the kitchen, I pack Nyah's lunch for school. George helps me clean the kitchen of course. He is the master of washing dishes and loves to remind me how much better he is at this task than me. I have to say, I totally agree with him. He can totally claim that one, spotless dishes every time. Remember dude, I grew up with this little invention called a dishwasher. Mind blowing, I know. I have told him on numerous occasions that since he is SO much better than me at washing that he can be totally, one hundred percent in charge of the task but he won't buy it. But I am thankful for whatever help I can get.


Since packing the lunch kit is such a part of my daily routine that I truly enjoy, and will probably be doing for a long, long time, (wow, I am really going to pack a lot of lunches in my life) I thought I would share what its all about.  So here's the lunch kit, in all of its glory:

We are highly discouraged from using plastic baggies, juice boxes and other disposable stuff at Nyah's school, in an attempt to keep waste to a minimum, something that has become habit in our daily lives. We are lucky that none of her classmates have any over the top peanut allergies so peanut butter sandwiches are a-okay. Nyah typically opens her lunch box to find a sandwich or left overs, always fruit, maybe pretzels and her all time favorite, yogurt. A serious treat for her. 

The containers are from some mega store, cold pack a gift given to Ny when she was a wee precious one from my dear friend Ashley, and the snack bag is courtesy of my sister and the rockin' toy store she works in.

Nyah stays hydrated through the school day and during lunch from a tiny glass full of water which she pours from a mini glass pitcher. Real glass? Three year olds? Really? Yes. All part of the process. Dropping and breaking glass and the reaction it elicits is all part of the process of learning to be careful, concentrate and handle things with care.

I pick Nyah up at twelve o'clock sharp each day and get the pleasure of spending some time with this little community of barefoot kids. 


Yesterday, one of the little cutties reached his tiny, short arms up to rub my belly and while peering at me from under my bump asked me so curiously, "Why is your belly so big?"


To which I replied, "Because there is a baby growing in there".


To which he bluntly blurted, with his best are you crazy lady look on his face, "AGAIN!?!".


I'm convinced picking Nyah up during lunch is the best part of Elsa's day. She gets such a kick out of making her grand entrance to meet the group of socializing children gathered and eating lunch at their chowkies on the open air porch of the beautiful school*, hoping to get a bite but always receiving a hug.  


Oh, a chowki is a little table which originates from India (where Nyah's teacher, Ms. Jill received her Montessori training). Ms. Jill describes how the guards used to sit on the little tables outside of homes during a long watch, so I guess this would make them more like stools. 


Here is a photo of the Indian God, Ganesha, sitting on a chowki. Obviously, the one Nyah uses daily is made of wood and not nearly as ornate, but you get the idea.

The kids at StarApple Montessori use the chowkies as tables to do their "work" (a very serious matter if you have had the pleasure to be around a Montessorian) and also to eat on. The students take wonderful care of their little chowkies, the perfect sized work station and portable table for them to eat on.


So there you have it, the whole lunch routine from start to finish.


*I would love to include some photos of Nyah's amazing preschool (yes, I am so inspired by a preschool) but just don't feel right snapping photos of others children but maybe someday I will find the school empty. Until then I will leave it up to your imagination.