Telling Kids That They Are Loved
Submitted by L P

The elder boy’s lunch box gave way after 3 years.
While looking for a new one, I have resorted to using sandwich bags to pack his food for recess.
These rainbow bags as they are referred to by Glad, because they come in a few colors, also have stickers to seal them after you have packed the food.
Lately, I have taken to writing short, sweet and encouraging notes for the elder boy on the bags itself after I discovered they were easy to write on.

Yesterday, after he came back home from school and while he was in the shower, he told me that I shouldn’t write anymore notes on the bags. When I asked him why, he replied that his classmates are always craning their necks to see what message he had for the day and he feels embarrassed. I jokingly retorted back that I am his mother and he cannot stop me from professing my love for him in the way I want to.
The elder boy is growing up. I suppose soon enough, he will want to stop holding my hand or allow me to kiss or hug him in public. I am very much comforted by DH’s words that it is a phase he will need to go through. That he will come back to a full circle and resume being affectionate towards me and accept my display of affections, especially when and after he goes to NS. He says this because it is exactly what he went through when he was growing up.