More than milk and eggs and cheese, Capri Sun juice is a "staple" at our house. We can run out of bread but not of Capri Sun bags, no way! Capri Sun bags go into lunch boxes, come along in picnics, go to the beach and to the drive-in movies, and pretty much are the snack of choice in our afternoons along with some cheeze-it too! Those handy-dandy juice bags have helped us make the transition out of the "sippy cup" stage and have given our kids the freedom and independence to help themselves to a drink (out of the fridge), without the help of mom or dad. Furthermore, they have empowered them to make choices without prompts or coaching, enabling us to see the fruit of our labors. Thanks to a bag of Capri Sun, delivered by our youngest, to his big brother, we had the chance to confirm that our kids care for one another. Frankie didn't ask Victor if he was thirsty, instead he figured if he was thirsty, chances were his brother was thirsty too. He marched to the fridge, got a bag of juice and went back to watch TV. Before he got back to the family room, he stopped, as if he was remembering something and then turned back and grabbed another bag and then offered it to his brother. All those times we taught him to offer, to share, to ask his playmates (therapists) if they wanted to share his snack or would like to have a drink, I thought we were teaching him to be polite, to fit in this society but I never pretended that he would learn something else along the way: true caring. We have always thought that Frankie is lucky to have older siblings that would be there for him, once we are gone, to care for him and to watch out for anything the future might bring for Frankie. Now, I'm sure that Frankie's older siblings are lucky too because Frankie will also be there to take care of them as well.
Caring is a two way street in our family and I trust that Capri Sun bags will be exchanged among us for many more years to come!
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