Thursday, April 03, 2008

Obento

While in Japan, I woke up at 5.30am to see how my host lady preparing lunchbox for her son and husband.

At 6, being a december child, she was just too timid to buy during recess. Besides, she might spilt the bowl of warm fishball noodle. Dutifully, I would pack her, and later son, their lunchboxes. After a year, it was on odd days. two days for her buy from the canteen. As they entered secondary school, the lunchboxes stopped. Then, busy and inexperience, it was assorted fillings of bread, cakes or chicken pies/puffs.

When youngest, started her primary school, the same routine continued. This time, more creative. At primary 3, on swimming lesson days, fried rice(delibrately set aside from the night before), ham or egg mayo sandwich. Every swimmer would know that after an hour of strenous practise in the 9am cold water, one gets famished. Most mums I gather do not swim. As a parent volunteer for this programme, I see some children, eating a pack of cereal, a pack of twisties, a butter bun or just a packet of milk. How they envied their friends chomping of ham/egg sandwiches or other homemade food lovingly prepared by mums. Many occassion, youngest would share her food with others. Once her friend asked earnestly, if I could also prepare a box for her on swimming day. Her mother, a teacher in another school is just too busy in the mornings.
That was 3 years ago. Yesterday, youngest came home and related this to me.
Her friend Sharon would check her lunchbox as they walk to the canteen and asked if youngest is having it otherwise, she would give youngest S$1, her pocket money, for her to buy something from the canteen while she will have her lunchbox.
I am sure many would love to have lunchbox prepared by the mums now and then. Just a simple preparations of food does tell how much thought and love mum has for her child. Even eldest now request for a lunch box. Why? she is too lazy to queue. AND she gets to save her pocketmoney!!!

3 comments:

stay-at-home mum said...

Hey! same here. My kids would come home and tell me to pack extras coz their friends want to eat what I pack for them tooo!!
I still pack snack boxes for my 2 older kids - in P3 and P6. They just refuse to buy canteen food. And they love home cooked lunches, finding the school canteen food, too saltish, too expensive and difficult to queue for. Nothing beats food loving prepared or packed for them!!

seefei said...

tat reminds me of my dad who used to prepare sardine sandwich for me when i was in primary school.

good post!!

iml said...

SAHM:
Glad you think that way too. I am sure, the children realised how blessed to have SAHMs

Seefei:
Lucky you, to have dad prepare lunchbox for you.