Lunch Is the Answer

 As the years go on we see our daughter less and less as school, sports, friends and the Internet take up more and more of her time. Since I am home most of the time I am used to the dwindling attention she has for us. Russ, as the traveling/working parent has never quite moderated to the new reality.  
Long gone are the days when she would sit waiting for him to come in the door, excited to share with him her newest passion. Now it is more like, “I see her car, will she come see me?” The answer as parents is, “probably not.”
The last two days we have had something of a miracle, two lunches in a row with our daughter. It turns out that the secret words are, “Do you want to go out to lunch?” It does not matter if I have cooked the best meal on earth. Lunch at home is passé.
It helps that MLK holiday meant that Russ worked at home, rather than the office, so he was around to have lunch with us. I am not sure this “out to lunch” draw would work with just me and Carter, but if Dad is involved it holds a whole new charm.  
So few lunches available before she goes off but I am going to do my best to invite her out every chance I get.  I am sure this is very bad news for my diet, but when she is off at camp and then college incan stop eating, until then it’s out to lunch.