Every school morning, I slip a note into my kids’ lunch boxes. Nothing fancy—just doodles, silly words, reminders to be kind, and a quick “I love you.” It started as a way to give them a smile in the middle of their day. A small habit.

But I’ll never forget walking into Leo’s classroom for parent-teacher conferences in November of his Kindergarten year. Of course, I arrived ten minutes early—because I am the poster child for Enneagram 3. While I waited, I wandered the hallway outside his classroom, looking for his artwork and—let’s be honest—snooping around his coat cubby to see how clean it was. That’s when I saw it.

The inside walls of his cubby were lined—completely covered—with my little notes.

What I thought was just a cute, simple way for us to connect was, to him, so much more. He was literally surrounding himself with my words, my doodles, my love. These tangible reminders were helping him through his hardest year.

Kindergarten was not easy for Leo. But those notes became anchors for him—proof that he was loved, even when I wasn’t right there. I was so taken by the sight of it that I didn’t even think to snap a photo. And yet that image, of his cubby plastered with my words, is etched in my mind forever.

Now he’s in second grade, and though I assumed he had grown out of it, I recently found a stash of old notes tucked away in the pocket of his lunch box. Still cherished. Still kept.

And it reminds me: sometimes the things we think are small and insignificant are not small at all. They’re the big things to someone else.

It’s the same with photography. The in-between glances, the overlooked details, the fleeting moments—those are the things that, years later, hold the most weight. Not the staged smiles, but the little reminders of who we were in a season we’ll never get back.

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own version of this tradition but the idea feels overwhelming, I’ve created a little resource for you.

💡 Printable Lunchbox Cards: Also, my gift to you, is a set of ready-made notes you can keep tucked in a drawer. On mornings when you’re rushed, or when the pen feels too heavy, you can still slip love into their day.
Download your free set of printable lunchbox notes here.

👉 Pro tip: On weeks I know will be extra busy, I’ll write out a small stack of Post-it notes on Sunday night. Then, each morning, I just date the top one and tuck it in. Easy. Meaningful. Done.

Because whether it’s a handwritten doodle or a simple pre-printed card, what matters isn’t the paper. It’s the message to our children that says:

“You are seen. You are loved. You are cherished.”