Hannah and Jonah love surprises. I try to give them a daily dose of surprise in the smallest and simplest ways.
Each day, I pack their snacks for school recess in their little snack bags. But they are not allowed to open it until recess time. The contents may be fruits, biscuits, cupcakes, sandwiches or crackers. No matter what they receive, it’s a surprise for them and they really enjoy this little bit of excitement every day.
Hannah's and Jonah's snack bags
Parents who pack lunches for the kids to bring to school can have a “Surprise Pouch” inside the lunch box that changes daily as a special treat from home. Your child will appreciate the effort that you put into choosing the treat. But sometimes, it’s nice to have a big surprise too. Recently, Hannah and I teamed up to surprise Jonah. Jonah was doing his homework in his bedroom when a package arrived. We quickly emptied the contents. Hannah stepped inside and we closed the lid as if it hadn’t been opened yet.
I called to Jonah and told him that a package had arrived for him. At first, he ran around the house looking for Hannah because he wanted to open it with her but the anticipation was just too much! Before he opened it, I snapped a picture and asked him to guess what was inside. “A car, toys, Ninjago!” were his answers.
Jonah doesn't know what's in the box
Finally, he opened the lid and...surprise!!! It was Hannah! His reaction was one of amazement, bewilderment and shock! He thought it was hilarious and we laughed for hours. In fact we were still taking about it on the way to school today. It’s quite wonderful that such a simple experience can create a happy and lasting memory for them.
Surprise, it's Hannah!!
And for parents who are concerned about Hannah’s well being while in the box…don’t worry, there were holes on the ends of the box so Hannah had plenty of oxygen.
