the back-talking bag.

This is where you use the bag as a communication device.

Brilliantly implemented by preschool teachers, my boys inadvertently learned to talk back to me via their brown bags. Huh? Instead of me remaining a clueless parent regarding my child's food likes and dislikes, eating habits and bottom-line consumption, the teachers had the kids return all unconsumed items to their lunch box (subliminal messaging to otherwise clueless parents).

In other words, if you ate half the sandwich, the uneaten half went back into the container, then back into the bag. If you ate none of your grapes, for the twentieth time, then when they return home uneaten yet again, the teachers hoped you clued into the fact that Annie really doesn't like grapes and John always takes the cheese off his sandwich.

Maybe when the only thing returning every day is a bag of carrots and those apple slices, you should regroup and redirect lunch time initiatives for your children: no more cookies or chips or granola bars until you eat your 'growing food' (heard that one before, have you?). Or, when very nearly the entire lunch contents return, you will then be informed that it was pizza lunch day, or that they were rushed b/c of play practice, or equally helpful: it took too long to open the dip container and carrot bag and yogurt container and unwrap the cheese stick. Note to self: limit how many things they have to unwrap, rewrap, unscrew, yank off or otherwise insert into a box.

I have loved that lesson they learned in preschool: to this day they return everything in their lunches and I have a clue into their food consumption, eating habits and preferences, timing and lunchtime activities (among other things). As it turns out, back-talk isn't always a bad thing---especially if it comes from a bag.