Overthinking it

The other day I put little notes in my kids' lunchboxes. I've done it before but not for awhile. In the past I've done notes that say things like "Hi [child's name], Have a nice day. Love Mum [heart and/or smiley face]".

This time my note looked like this:

That night A took me aside and whispered, troubled: "Mum, why did you tell me to smile?"

"No reason," I said. "It was just another way to say I love you."

She was confused. "But I know you love me." (OK, so that's good). "So why did you tell me I have to smile? I wasn't sad or grumpy."

"Oh, it doesn't mean that," I said. "It's a cultural meme, referencing the 'smile, Jesus loves you' signs of the 1970s that I grew up with, with which of course you are utterly unfamiliar."

(I didn't say that).


A little while later M said, "Mum, why did you leave us a note in our lunchboxes?"

"Just to say hi," I said. "I've done it before. Do you remember?"

"No."  She frowned. "Why did you say 'your mum loves you' ? Why just Mum? What about Dad?"



Ay, ay, ay, ay...

Photo: Cellar_Door_Films/Flickr