Just about two years ago, I blogged about the way eating had become Fear Factor-esque in our home. I thought I would give you an update.
Things are no better. I will start by saying, I don't make my children eat vile things. You will never find brussel sprouts on their plates, I never make meatloaf (although I like it personally), and I wouldn't even think about making them eat fish (except the stick variety)-even though I would be happy to eat it every night.
I was under the opinion that most kids beg their parents to make things like spaghetti and meatballs or hamburgers with french fries. I was wrong.
Let's take the hamburger situation. I'll start this by sayin that the girls did great with this. They ate their hamburger's happily. I made yummy steak-fries (wouldn't even think to call them that since that implies more meat so I called them GIANT FRIES!!!) to go with the burgers and I thought it was a pretty decent dinner. Apparently not. We had a 7 1/2 year old sit at the table sullenly refusing to take a bite. We told him that he would continue to sit at that table indefinitely until he ate a bit (we were serious there- he was actually pretty tired and kept pleading with us to let him go to sleep. we told him that if he had to sit in the chair the whole night, he would). Finally, after 45 minutes of this behavior, he gave in. He cut up his hamburgers into small pieces and proceeded to DROWN (or is it drowned>) them in ketchup. That would be gross even for world ketchup lovers (like me) to take, so of course he made a face at the sourness.
After that, he tried to wash down the hamburger with a drink. Sounds like a good idea except he had a lot of hamburger in his mouth as well as a large amount of liquid. Gagging, choking,and crying insued. I found myself telling him that I AM A SWALLOWING EXPERT (usually we lie to our kids about being experts but in this case, I was being completely honest) and his method of swallowing was of course going to result in him gagging and choking.
Finally, after him sitting at the table for a total of an hour and 15 minutes, (note: in this time we were able to finish dinner, empty the dishwashers, and Greg CLEANED OUT THE REFRIGERATOR!) he had managed to eat half a steak fry and about 3 two inch pieces of hamburger.
He then had the audacity to get up and say, "Well, I didn't hate it, but it isn't my favorite food either!"
Posted by peninah at January 18, 2007 10:52 AM | TrackBackSounds yummy, can I come over for leftovers?
This is excellent blackmail material. Kind of like those naked baby pictures that your mom likes to show random males. Or those pictures of you with your fellow 2 year old boyfriend.
Posted by: aishel at January 18, 2007 01:49 PM(I don't know if those photo's exist, I saying hypothetically)
Posted by: aishel at January 18, 2007 01:49 PMAishel- we have one burger left and some fries as well. If you want them, their yours!
LOL on the photos thing. I laughed out loud. (I guess I just said that with the whole LOL thing, but whatever)
Posted by: Peninah at January 18, 2007 02:23 PMI loved reading this!..Greg sat many a night looking at his food and hoping Tipper would snatch it off his plate.(I don't recall Tipper ever doing that though.) Two things: 1. good news that G. and E. ate it, and 2. You have to do it again real soon so E. remembers that "he didn't hate it".
Posted by: Mom at January 18, 2007 06:34 PMWell, it sounds like E gets it legitimately. You weren't the best eater either...it took you to get older to even attempt new foods (how about some mac and cheese or cheerios...every single night!!)
Your Zaydie used to say. "Take only one bite, but if you like it, you can't have seconds tonight. Maybe next time." You could try that approach. and i agree with Aishel...I would have loved that meal! and be happy at least the girls ate!
I once refused to eat hamburger helper and I had to stay at the table until I ate. I, of course, did not eat a single bite and went to bed after a few hours at the table by myself - lol. Needless to say, that incident stayed with me for the rest of my life and did not help me to eat hamburger helper - uch - or anything else I didn't like. Now, however, I probably would love to eat hamburger helper....