It kills me every time I have to go on a trip. Leaving my tots is the single hardest part of being a working mom, so I do whatever I can to lessen the blow, for my tots and myself.
I’m usually guilted into promising to bring home anything they want. (They ask for things like ponies. As in, real-life ponies. I come home with stuffed ones.)
I saw this book at a book fair recently and was immediately drawn in. It was as if the book spoke directly to me and had appeared to help me with my dilemma. The Kiss Box, by Bonnie Verburg, is a disarming story about a mommy bear preparing her baby bear for her upcoming trip away from home. The bears devise a way to stay connected by making Kiss Boxes for each other, to store an endless supply of kisses for when they are missing each other and need a kiss. It is so sweet, and it totally helps.
When I told my girls I have a trip to Italy coming up, we began reading this book and sat down to make Kiss Boxes for each other. It turned out to be a fun-filled activity with a purpose that brought us closer. The act of making the boxes is significant, since they’ll remember this time together when we’re missing each other, to help make our hearts a little less sad.
I used old jewelry gift boxes; we colored, cut out hearts and included pictures of each other inside the boxes. Then of course filled it with kisses. You can use anything or go to Michaels for a huge selection of cardboard boxes for you to get crafty – and cuddly – with. On Amazon
