Preparing kid lunches

This version has been updated for the 2007 California trip. (Previous version is archived here.)

preliminary stuff

• 7:30-7:45 wake up Zander, if he hasn't woken on his own; dispense meds (sulfur & stramonium)
• Fill water bottles if needed
  • Z: bottle in green insulator sleeve
  • B: normal sippy bottle

Zander's lunch

• 2 hot dogs
• 1 yogurt
• hard-boiled egg, peeled, in snack bag
• slice of watermelon (about 3/4" to 1" thick, in sandwich bag) - or sliced kiwi, but this is available from Chapel Hill Whole Foods only
• frozen thingy goes in lid of lunchpack
• fill large water bottle (with green heat-sleeve)

Benjy's lunch

• "Purely Os" + "Rainbow Rings": one snack bag each, in outside pocket of lunchpack
  • these have both been unavailable at the CH Whole Foods; we're out of Rainbow Rings, and Purely Os may run out too
• 2 Fig Newmans - also in outside pocket
• meat goes in sandwich bag except hot dog, which can go in snack bag -- see whiteboard for rotation:
• apple -- remove labels; goes loose in lunchpack -or- strawberries in small rectangular plastic container (purple lid)
• blue freezer pack in corner of lunchpack main compartment
  • water bottle goes next to freezer pack
• put lunchpack next to Zander's or somewhere nearby where B can see it

Benjy's meat rotation (schedule)

• Wed. 6/20: turkey bologna: 2-3 slices of baloney from deli (round stuff in white paper); if frozen, microwave for 4 minutes at 10%
• Thu. 6/21: hot dog: 1 dog from Shelton's Turkey Franks
• Fri. 6/22: turkey ham: 2 slices of Wellshire Kids turkey ham
• Mon. 6/25: turkey bologna
• Tue. 6/26: hot dog
• Wed. 6/27: turkey ham

Josh lunch preparation

• defrost entire pack of Shelton's Turkey Franks
  • put in ziplock bag marked "please warm up" (so they know to microwave it)
• sandwich bag of veggie chips
• 3 Sprites -- put his initials on the caps of the Sprites -- put in gallon ziplock bag with his name and date
• Fill his water bottle (but do not refrigerate; he won't drink it cold)

Put all this in his backpack.

Mondays and Wednesdays he has swimming, so put his swim shorts inside his towel (rolled-up) and put them in his backpack too (on those days).

waking/dressing Josh

~ 6:35: dress Josh - no need to cue for toilet; just tell him to get up, and he'll go.

He gets lunch at school, so no need to pack one

Get underwear while he's doing that, so you can hand it to him when he gets done with bathroom

2 gummies from yellow-cap bottle, 1 gummy from green-cap bottle

Back to living room for dressing:

• socks (had written down "one by one", but he seemed fine with getting them both at once)
• pants (he already has changed underwear)
• shirt -- do the "how big is Joshy?" thing to cue him, and he might need help getting the shirt off

Back to kitchen for finishing up:

• brush his hair (small hairbrush in bathroom cabinet)
• "go and get your shoes" cues him to put away dirty clothes
• He will get both shoes and put one on, but waits for it to be tied before putting on second one.
• Check temperature (to decide if jacket is needed)
• Cue for jacket -- he knows where "grey jacket" is
• "zip yourself up"
• "get your backpack"
• He can unlock and open front door

After kids get home

• Rinse out Josh's water bottle and leave it to dry overnight
• Rinse out other water bottles; kids can refill them if they want to use them (B & Z prefer cold water)
• Empty out kids' lunchpacks and rinse out if there are spills
• Take out any swim stuff so it can dry