First, there was ice cream.

And now--a moonlit playground. How are things going? Brilliantly,

actually. Who wouldn't want to be part of a family like this? (that's

not even sarcasm, I add, mindful of the day I wrote something like "I

love reading trip trap trip trap in this version of the Billy Goats

Gruff" and and my editor said whoa, that's a little too snarky even

for you and I said oh, no, actually I meant that.)

 

I have just been reading a post on Salon about the difficulties of

getting kids to eat right, and the spirit moves me to...

Gloat.

There really isn't any other word for it, and I'm such a gloaty

gloater on this issue that I absolutely will not do a DoubleX post on

it.

My kids have always been good eaters. (we have been wondering about

Rory but I am convinced she is coming around, although she does LOVE

candy.) I can't imagine why, because I was that kid--the one who ate

only grilled cheeses, considered French fries a vegetable and wouldn't

eat pizza because of the tomato sauce. White pizza is still a godsend

to me, actually.

But picky as I was, the one thing I never had was any food hang ups,

and I thought about that for a long time when we first had Sam and

decided that we would just...feed him. What we were eating, without

comment or judgment. He could eat what he wanted off of his plate. And

that's it. The end of our food rules.

It's hard, sometimes, especially when, as the Salon writer says "you

like everything in that!". So we do say things, we're not perfect, but

in general, we offer what we are going to offer. You don't eat your

dinner? You still get dessert, if there is dessert, but most nights

there isn't, so don't count on it. If lunch is a sandwich, apple

slices and an Oreo and you start with the oreo, I won't say a word. If

you eat only the Oreo I will bite my tongue (and edit the next meal).

Our kids--all of them--eat when they are hungry. If they haven't

snacked all afternoon and dinner is Thai pork lettuce wraps and

salad... They wi eat Thai pork lettuce wraps and salad. I admit to

being surprised by this. If, as happened yesterday, I say no to all

the baked treats at the farmstand, they get excited about carrots. And

fight over them, and ear them in the car.

 

I know--I'm gloating. I told you I was. I think it's weird, to be

honest. I still wouldn't get excited about a carrot, or eat one for a

snack in the car. But they do.

 

How did I get this LUCKY?

 

KJ Dell'Antonia

sent from my iPhone

Done