Someday we won't fight at dinner. Someday my boys will eat everything. Someday I'll enjoy cooking and feeding all of my boys. Sadly, that day is not today, or yesterday, or tomorrow. Unless I'm feeding them pizza, noodles with red sauce (but nothing else...looking at you, baked ziti), or burgers, dinnertime is a fight. And c'mon, I'm not feeding them crazy, out-there meals. In fact, everything I serve is basically the same thing with a twist. But when my boys won't even eat quesadillas, there is no hope.
A couple of weeks ago at a particularly hard dinner, I lost it. Completely. After I found it again, we came up with a new rule: within reason, whatever they don't finish at dinner becomes dinner the next night. If they don't eat it the next night, then they get it the night after that. No, they don't need to "clean their plate," but taking two bites and saying, "I'm full" is unacceptable from boys who can eat three slices of pizza. We make sure they understand that it's going to get grosser and grosser each night that it's not eaten. They also know that if the next night's dinner is pizza, they won't get any until they eat tonight's dinner. Point is, they need to learn to eat food that they don't love. They also need to learn to respect my role as food provider.
Don't they know how hard it is to plan a menu that's (1) not boring, (2) not filled with junk, and (3) hopefully edible? Don't they know how hard it is is grocery shop within a certain budget? Don't know they know how much it hurts when, before even trying it, they declare dinner "Gross?" No, they don't. They're kids. But someday, someday, they'll know. And I'll sit back and laugh. Just like my mom is laughing at me now.
P.S. I know mommy battles over mealtimes are not new nor novel. I know. I might as well write about our struggles at bedtime, right? Except that right now, we're actually doing okay with bedtime. So there.
P.S.S. Due to our recent "clean the house" efforts, I'm on the lookout for a mop. Anyone have one that actually CLEANS, unlike the Swiffer I bought?
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Man, do I hear ya!!! Axton is our toughest eater. He will eat the homemade versions of pizza/mac n cheese/burgers, but cheesy broccoli soup? salad?chicken and rice? Nope "It get's stuck in my teeth!" He declares just about everything to be disgusting!
ReplyDeleteWe don't fight him on it. He eats it or goes to bed hungry. Sadly, the other night he went to bed hungry then woke up at 4AM wanting food. After being sent back to bed, he woke up at 4:30 and said he felt like he needed to throw up. He got a granola bar at 5AM. He is a huge fan of breakfast! We have a 2 bowl limit on granola and don't get me started on how many eggs we go through! It drives me nuts, especially since I try to make good food within our food budget.
Elodie sometimes follows along with him, but more and more she decides she likes things even if he doesn't.
So no answers here, just sympathy.
Hm, some of that definitely sounds familiar - especially saying "Yuck" or "I don't like this" when they haven't EVER tried it before. Then they do and they like it! Kids!
ReplyDeleteSo how is the new dinner plan working out? I find it funny. :) I love it.
Dang, I can't rememer what mop I use. Some "home-business" (like Scentsy, Pampered chef) that sells home-cleaning supplies. It was really expensive and looks like a Swiffer. But I don't have to use any chemical product because of the silver-something or other that is in the actual mop pad. If interested, Oh wait, I just remembered the name of the company: Norwex. I love it. Works on tile and hardwood, etc.