So God Made a Mother is Here! 🎉

When my daughter started first grade this year, I was somewhat overly excited at the prospect of packing her lunch every so often.

I pictured myself lovingly cutting her sandwich into four squares each night before school.

I’d responsibly include a fresh fruit or vegetable in each lunch, and even add a quick post-it note that professed my love for the tiny little learner, always finishing off with a tender “Love, Mommy.”

Ha.

Those lovely lunch-side visions and sentiments lasted all of about four days.

That greedy little learner has since decided she wants to pack EVERY DARN DAY, and my full-time working “Mommy-Teacher-Family Manager-Writer-and seventeen other titles” role has given way to Lunchables, fruit snacks, and overly processed pre-packaged fruits likely overloaded with sugar.

Post-it notes? They’re only on my laptop and crumbled in my purse, reminding me of meetings I’ll forget to attend.

Mom life.

But I’m generally pretty seasoned at shoving any and all mom guilt right out the window, and have far more respect and understanding of reality.

That is, until I was turned on to a local Dad in my area whose lunch bag game is strong, friends.

Chris Dye, a graphic designer from the Greater Cincinnati area I myself reside in, is the lunch bag packing Dad we would all want at 9 years old.

Or honestly, even at 35 years old.

Because Chris’ kids, Lucy, age 9, and Read, age 12, tote brown bag lunches with enough flair to make your local TGI Fridays waiter jealous.

About a year ago, Chris haphazardly grabbed a marker and sketched a quick happy face on Lucy’s lunch bag one day when the bus was running late. Over the course of the next few weeks, he did the same numerous times for his daughter and son, often making the faces mirror the emotions and expressions they were trotting through the house with that morning.

A rambunctious fourth grader, Lucy’s were generally happy and goofy. Read, a middle schooler, generally got sleepy-eyed faces.

Fast forward a year later, and Chris’ lunch bag art has most definitely evolved.

Color, detail, and tying his sketches into the kids’ favorite things, hobbies, and the day’s happenings has given way to full-blown masterpieces that have teachers, lunch ladies, and of course Lucy and Read’s peers, looking forward to lunch time all the more each day.

Chris takes pictures of each unique bag and shares them on his Instagram account @dyehatesinsta– an endeavor that started as a way to share them with close friends and family.

Now, however, Chris is humbled at the compliments and urges from others to make their kids bags, or even make a business out of the side-gig he’s come to love.

For now, he hopes to start with some giveaways on his Instagram account, where lucky followers can win a bundle of themed bags for commenting, or even offering up unique bag ideas for him to sketch.

If it goes anywhere beyond that, he’ll consider it a bonus.

The real reward, he says, has been getting back to the quick, simple, off-the-cuff sketching that his love of art began with years ago- before 9-5 hours, deadlines, and complicated lengthy projects with constraints.

Add in the fact that it gets smiles, laughs, and a quick bonding moment between he and his kids each morning- one of whom is nearing the dreaded teen years- and it’s a win-win for this talented and witty Dad of two.

When curiosity made me probe Chris to dish on what culinary delicacies lie within these effortlessly unique bags, he assured me that the meals are a bit less original than the artwork that adorns them.

“Their lunches are nothing special. Just your average PB&J, some chips, and a fruit-roll-up” he explained.

“Throwing in some carrots meets the healthy requirement, and I call it a day.”

Shew.

Cause if I found out Lucy and Read were munching on organic veggies and house-made hummus each day, I was definitely going to have to file him under that Pinterest Mom cult we all secretly love to hate.

But another frazzled, barely surviving parent that somehow makes just enough time to squeak out a little something to bring joy to his kids on a daily basis?

We can most definitely be friends.

And since we are- I’d like two dozen 90’s era themed bags, like now, dear friend.

I’m picturing Zack Morris getting flirty with me on his massive car phone, with a side of Lisa Frank on the back.

Order up Chris- order up.

Head on over to Chris’ Instagram @dyehatesinsta to see more of his unique work and share some love.

 

 

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Ashley Kleisinger

Bio- Ashley Kleisinger is a mommy, elementary school teacher, and blogger from Northern Kentucky. When not lesson planning in the shower, chasing after her 5- and 8-year-old, or celebrity stalking on eight different forms of social media, you can find her penning her rants, ramblings, and exaggerations of the truth on her Facebook page Back Stories First.

Look beyond the Labels for What You Don’t See

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three kids sitting on parents' laps smiling

I’ve always said that labeling someone with high- or low-functioning autism, or any disability for that matter, isn’t ever truly accurate. You may see an extremely smart girl who seems “normal” but you don’t see everything. You don’t see how the noises hurt her ears. You don’t see how the bright lights hurt her eyes. You don’t see how hard she struggles to fit in. You don’t see how she struggles to understand the social cues. You don’t see how seriously she takes what you say even if you’re joking. You don’t see the struggles when she’s having an overwhelming...

Keep Reading

When You Look Back on These Pictures, I Hope You Feel My Love

In: Kids, Motherhood
Four kids playing in snow, color photo

I document your life in pictures. I do it for you. I do it for me. I do it because I want you to know I lived every memory. And loved every moment. When you go back through the thousands of moments, I hope it sparks something deep inside of you. Something that perhaps your heart and mind had forgotten until that moment. And I hope that it makes you smile.  I hope the memories flood and you remember how much each moment was cherished.  I hope each giggle and secret that was shared with your sisters at that moment sparks...

Keep Reading

For the Parents of the Kids Who Don’t Fit the Mold

In: Kids, Motherhood
mom hugging her daughter

This one is for the parents of the kids who don’t fit the mold. I see you holding your kid together with nothing but love and a prayer as they cry or feel defeated and you wish the world would see your kid like you do. I see you wiping away their tears after they were yet again passed over for all the awards and accolades. There is no award for showing up for school despite crippling anxiety or remembering to write down assignments for the first year ever. So they had to sit clapping again for friends whose accomplishments...

Keep Reading

Let Your Kids See You Try and Fail

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother and daughter sitting on floor knitting together

Let your kids see you try and fail at something. That’s what I did today!  My daughter wanted to take a knitting class together. I said sure, naively thinking the skill would come pretty naturally. I’m usually good at things like this.  Guess what? It didn’t. Although she picked it up easily and was basically a knitting pro within five minutes, the teacher kept correcting me, saying, “No, UNDER! You need to go UNDER, not OVER.” She was kind enough, but it just wasn’t clicking. I started to get frustrated with myself. I normally take things like this in stride...

Keep Reading

My Kids Don’t Like to Read, but They Do Love to Learn

In: Kids, Motherhood
Two children reading with each other, color photo

I fell in love with books during a war while my kids lost interest in reading during COVID. Between 1975 and 1990 during the Civil War in Lebanon, my mom, an avid reader, was determined to make me one despite many odds. Once every few weeks, starting when I was about 10, she and I would make the half-hour trek by foot from our apartment in Beirut to a place we called the “book cave.” It was a nondescript space—about 15 by 20 square feet—tucked in the basement of a dilapidated building. Inside, it housed hundreds of books in various...

Keep Reading

Dear Teachers, Thank You Will Never Be Enough

In: Kids, Living
Kids hugging teacher

Growing up a teacher’s daughter has given me a lifetime of appreciation for educators. Of course, it’s true; I may be biased. I’ve been fortunate to have learned and been guided by many outstanding teachers, including my mother and grandmother, who passed those legacy skills onto my daughter, who strongly feels teaching is her calling. But if you’ve had your eyes and ears open in recent years, you, too, probably feel deep gratitude for the angels among us who work in the school system. So, as the school year ends, and on behalf of parents, grandparents, and anyone who loves...

Keep Reading

Before You, Boy, I Never Knew

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three boys playing in creek, color photo

Before you, boy, I never knew that little boys could get so dirty. Play so rough. Climb so high. Assess your risks. Make me hold my breath. Messes everywhere.   Before you, boy, I never knew how much my lap will make room for you. My arms will stretch to swallow you up in endless hugs and just hold you close. And love you to the moon and back. And back again. Snuggling and snuggling.  RELATED: I Met a Boy and He Changed Everything Before you, boy, I never knew that there would be so much wrestling. And superheroes, and far-off...

Keep Reading

It Hurts Seeing My Kid as a B-List Friend

In: Friendship, Kids, Teen
Teen girl sitting alone on a dock

Kids everywhere are celebrating, or will be celebrating soon. They will be playing outside, enjoying warm summer days, bike rides with friends, and maybe even sleepovers. It’s summer—it’s fun, right? Sure, it is. And sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it isn’t fun for the kids you least expect it from. We have that issue, and I knew it was building for the past few weeks with our teenage daughter. She was moody (moodier than normal). Short tempered. Obviously frustrated, but not ready to talk about it. But it was when she came home on the last day of school, in tears,...

Keep Reading

5 Money Tips to Set Your Kids Up for a Strong Financial Future

In: Grown Children, Kids, Motherhood, Teen
Father putting quarters in child's hand

As parents, we want to see our children become independent, but the transition to financial independence has unique challenges. I get it. I have three children of my own, and each of them deals with money differently. The transition can be especially difficult if you are a family that doesn’t talk openly about money. Regardless of whether money has been an open topic in the past, as your high school graduate moves on to the next chapter in their life, it’s important to help them start thinking about their financial future. College tuition, rent, and other expenses can be overwhelming...

Keep Reading

Dear Hunter’s Mom, What I Really Want to Say

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother holding toddler boy, color photo

Hi, I’m Krystal. I’ve wanted to say that every Tuesday and Thursday when I see you in the preschool hallway. I don’t know why I never say it. It might be because I’m afraid to. Maybe you just want to get the drop-off over with and get out of there. I get it. Hunter is crying . . . hard. People are looking . . . they always look. Your face is flushed, your jacket twisted. You are caught between trying to do what you are supposed to do and what you want to do. I can tell. I know...

Keep Reading