Julia Sims: Love in a lunchbox

When Will went off to his first day of kindergarten, I tucked a little Post-it inside his lunchbox.

On it was a simple (albeit rudimentary) funny face. I figured the little guy can't really read... but, he does love pictures. I thought it might make him smile and for that quick second during his day, he might think of me.

Walking home from school that day, Will had a big smile on his face and said "Mama, there was a funny man in my lunchbox." Well, the conversation took off from there - we named the man in the lunchbox, we talked about his adventures and we laughed. 

The next morning, Will said he was hoping an alien would sneak into his lunchbox. And that's the way it's been every day since. Mean men, goofy guys and crazy aliens on little yellow Post-its are part of his daily lunchbox menu. Sometimes, it's a surprise. Sometimes, Will dictates the face he wants to see.

And at the end of every day, we have creative, imaginative conversations about the "funny man in the lunchbox."

That first day, the little picture was really an afterthought - something I did to make myself feel better, and hopefully, make him smile. Funny how those types of things can turn into so much more.