After teaching for 6 years, I have met many children who have security objects. Many have blankets or animals that they are attached to. I never really understood this attachment until my 3 year old developed one. My oldest daughter never had an object to sooth her. I was her security object. I would have to lay with her for her to go to sleep or when she was sad or scared, she would come to me. Before Maya was born, she was given a lamb blanket. It has the head and arms of a stuffed animal and the body is a blanket.   This blanket animal later earned the name of BaaBaa. BaaBaa was in Maya's crib from the day she was born. Her attachment did not develop until she was 16months old when she started day care. For the last 2 years Baa Baa has become Maya's best friend. BaaBaa has also become part of our family. BaaBaa goes everywhere with us and Maya often refers to him as her best friend. He makes going to bed so much easier and makes the scary events so much less scary. BaaBaa has received so much love from Maya even though he now only has one eye as the result of too many baths int he washer and one ears as the result of an amputation from our dog who later threw the ear back up which now is in a safe spot but not sewn back on. We have misplaced BaaBaa before always to find him under a couch or pillow. We have gone one night without him when he was left at daycare and not found until the next day but that was in the early days when the attachment was just developing. We have even left BaaBaa at a store every now and again but have always gone right back to find him waiting for us. We thought BaaBaa was gone forever last night. We retraced our days events and searched high and low for BaaBaa. Maya feel asleep with tears in her eyes snuggled up to her big sister. Maya joined me in bed at some point in the night and she woke up a few times calling for BaaBaa. I searched every nook and cranny in our house, tore our car apart, sent Daddy on a mission and called all the places we had visited yesterday. BaaBaa was no where to be found. I fell asleep wishing and praying that BaaBaa would appear in the morning. Maya woke up with a smile on her face and didn't instantly ask about BaaBaa. Ella woke up and instantly asked if I found BaaBaa. I realized at this point that losing BaaBaa was traumatic for the entire family. BaaBaa has become part of our family and not Maya would not have it when she gets older and he all of a sudden is no longer a a part of our life. There is a sadness to it. I have always envisioned BaaBaa on Maya's college bed and then in a box with all of her fond childhood keepsakes. Now we just have stories. 

Remembering we saw BaaBaas twin this summer, I called Grandpa to send him to get another one. Maya thought it would be ok to have a new sparkly two eared two eyed BaaBaa. It wouldn't be the same but close enough. Maya got so excited at the mission we put Grandpa boo up to. 

This morning we got a knock on our door and the real BaaBaa came home. He spent the night in our neighbors garage. While looking last night, he was scanned over but was spotted this morning. The best friends have been reunited and all is good in our house. That was the longest night and our whole family felt the impact. I now completely understand the significance of security objects and impact that BaaBaa has on our entire family! 

Lunch Time

Now that we are back in school, it's time to think about school lunches again. This is always an interesting topic to me. Kids love to buy school lunch, much of it gets thrown away, most aren't very healthy, there is so little tome to eat lunch during lunch time, it's expensive to but but it is also expensive to bring. As a mom and a morning kindergarten teacher, I am spared of the lunch dilemma for another year. Today, my class went on a tour of the school and we went through the cafeteria. I have no idea what was for lunch but it did smell good! Everyday when we leave school, Ella proclaims that she is starving as we walk by the cafeteria and wishes she could be in full day to have lunch at school. I know I avoided the dilemma of buying or bringing for this year but will have to face it next year. I have always been dead set against school lunch for many reasons. I don't have fond memories of eating it as a child. I remember throwing much of it out. As a teacher, I have never bought school lunch. Seeing the nutritional information of the containers behind the scenes has always turned me off. School lunch has a really bad rap for its nutritional value these days. I know there are always healthier options provided if your child decides to choose them but that decision without a parent can be very hard to make. I already know this will be a battle next year. Ella will want to buy hot lunch and everything inside of me will tell me not to let her. She is a picky eater but it seems that many school lunches are "kid friendly." Nuggets with several names like patty and popcorn and bites and fries and strips- all chicken nuggets though. And Dominoes pizza. Lots of pasta too. I truly think I could pack a better lunch for less money too. However, there is some fun and sense of freedom to carry a tray and tell the lunch clerk your name as you stand at the register. And to do this with friends.
I remember the days of buying lunch being the cool thing to do and also the years of bringing lunch being the cool thing.
I am excited about some schools taking the initiative to provide healthier school lunches. I found this article from our local news station. It is very interesting. I taught at a school that looked at Revolution Foods and opted not to use them because it was too much work. As a parent, I would love the option to buy a healthier lunch and know that my child is getting something with nutritional value. I would pay a little more for this. Would you pay more for a healthier lunch?
As a teacher, I always think that for many kids, a school lunch may be the best meal they get on any given day. I see many kids come to school without breakfast or eating junk for breakfast. I truly do believe it effects their academic ability and behavior. Many times packed lunches are full of empty calories as well. Maybe the hot lunch choice could be a better option.


http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=122184