Frustrated mom's 'passive-aggressive lunch bags' are a hit
When Whitney Cicero packs her children's lunches every day, she takes a moment to write a tongue-in-cheek note for them to give them a bit of a reality check. She has turned these "passive-aggressive lunch bags" into a small business.
A packed lunch is one of the most traditional ways to show your children that you love them. It is an opportunity for you to make sure that, no matter what else happens while they're at school, they are well-nourished. A little goes a long way.
For mother Whitney Cicero, packing lunches is also an opportunity to deliver one last parting shot to her otherwise out-of-reach children. If they're too busy on their phones to hear her when she speaks, they will certainly have time to pay attention to a note handwritten on their lunch bags. But Cicero's messages are not all about love and hugs; she takes the time to remind her children of chores or habits that they need to pay attention to when they're at home.
Among the warnings about video games ("Fortnite is not a career choice") and reminders about things to do when they get home ("clean your room", "you need a haircut", "get off your phone"), there are serious comments about what's happening in the kids' classrooms.
While many of the notes are tongue-in-cheek, some are written with the aim of communicating genuine concern to Cicero's children.
Cicero, whose children are aged 12 and 14, believes a sense of humour is key when raising teens: "Humor is a great segue into having meaningful conversations and it helps break the tension of things that can be kind of awkward. And, if we don't have a sense of humor about parenting, we will literally lose our minds.[sic]"
The lunch bags became so popular on Cicero's Instagram account that she decided to start selling them to other parents. She writes quirky notes and sells the bags in packs of ten for just under five dollars.