PHOENIX — A Facebook post from one mom may just be the little bit of advice parents have been looking for to help their little ones prepare for their first school lunch.
Julie Harbaugh took to social media with a PSA she directed at "soon-to-be kindergarten mamas."
"Practice eating 'school lunch' with your kiddo," she wrote. "Make sure they can open everything you send with them."
Harbaugh said to teach your kids not to eat off the table and even set a timer for 15 minutes, referencing how short some school lunch periods can be.
"Talk about how they may not finish eating and that’s ok," she wrote, adding that this was hard for her little man.
But even the clean-up can be a daunting task for some kindergarteners experiencing school lunch for the first time. Harbaugh said to also practice packing everything back up as you explain what should be thrown away and what should come back home in their lunch box.
"Kindergarten lunch is a big adjustment and your child’s teacher will be super appreciative if you have prepared them for the experience!" Harbaugh wrote.
Harbaugh posted the PSA on Facebook Monday and it quickly spread. By Thursday morning, the post had more than 60,000 shares.
The post also had more than 10,000 comments by Thursday morning, most of which came from parents and teachers who seemed appreciative of Harbaugh's advice.
"My daughter did this for our granddaughter as she was upset each day because she did not have enough time to eat all of her lunch," one person wrote. "So they practiced with her at home, and they did the same thing, setting a timer. Great advice!"
"Great advice" and "great idea" were common phrases found throughout the comments on the post.