The Snack That Has Ended More Meltdowns Than Words Ever Have

There are moments in motherhood that require patience, empathy, deep breathing, and a calm nervous system.

And then there are moments that require fruit snacks.

I don’t mean “offered politely.”
I mean deployed like a parachute in an emergency scenario.

I can’t explain why fruit snacks hold the emotional power they do.
They are tiny.
They are sticky.
They are basically rebranded candy.

But they work.

They work when:

• The line is too long

• The wait is too slow

• The day is too much

• The feelings are too big

• And the world is asking her to do something that just… isn’t happening yet

On vacation, I don’t pack a perfectly curated snack rotation.

I pack fruit snacks in every single pocket like I am a magician preparing for the prestige.

Front pocket.
Side pocket.
Backpack pocket.
My coat.
Her coat.
The deep abyss of the purse that could hide a portal to another dimension.

One time, we were sitting on a bench watching people walk by, both a little tired, not quite ready for the next thing, and she whispered:

“Do we have the gummies?”

Not food, not snack.
The gummies.
Capital G. Spiritual importance.

And I did.
And she smiled.
And the day softened.

It wasn’t about the fruit snacks.
It was about being seen.

Travel is overwhelming — even for grownups.
Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is:

Pause.
Snack.
Reset.
Continue.

No lesson.
No fix.
No analysis.

Just a chewy hug in pouch form.