Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Times of WAR and time of Peace


My daughter Addy has started a war today. The ongoing food war. We WERE in a time of peace. But there was some subtle shift in her mind today...and now...its all out attack.

Me: (trying to be a cool mom) I will make you a grilled cheese for breakfast today!
Her: Ooooh. Ok...but you know how I like it. No burn...just light light light brown.
Me: Sure!

So away I go...buttering the bread...with real butter...and slicing up some yummy cheddar cheese. Oooh gooey. And then at just the right moment where it is lightly toasted and melty...I remove it from the skillet and slice it up into triangles.

Her: Oh. I wanted a circle!
Me: Oh...can you deal with it this time?
Her: Sigh. I guess.

2 minutes later...

Her: Mom...You cut the cheese too thick.
Me: (My head exploded looking at the sandwich with one bite gone and pushed away.) Too thick???
Her: Yeah...I don't like it.
Me: To thick!!! Well. You don't have to eat it. But you can't have anything else...and I probably won't be making another grilled cheese for you anytime soon if you won't eat it because I might cut the cheese too thick.
Her: Ok.
Me: OH MY GOSH! Well..go throw it away.
Her: Ok.
Me: You will get hungry at school!
Her: No I won't. We have morning snack.
Me: (Oh Lord, please let it be something she won't eat.) Well...ARG!

After stomping around in disbelief...

Me: Don't you know that "the cheese is too thick" is soooo over the top ridiculous??? I mean...not too burned...too smelly...too dry....too...whatever. Too thick is CRAZY! Think about all those orphans in Africa that Nana works with that either have nothing...or just ground up corn! (I can't believe I actually pulled that one out.) That is CRAZY! And RUDE! And over the top picky! I try so hard to fix things I know you like...but NO MORE! If I can't even make you a grilled cheese!
Her: Well...I can eat at school.
Me: SUMMER IS COMING!!!!!!!

----

Ummm. I have a feeling that someone in my house is in for several days of being hungry. Cause oh my gosh.

I remember being a fairly picky eater as a little kid...though I outgrew that. Sooner than my mom thinks though. I was rattling off all the foods I would eat to her...demanding she name one I wouldn't eat. She couldn't come up with one...but I think I was thinking as an older kid. She was laughing at how I couldn't get Addy to try deviled eggs.

I try to not ask my kids to eat things I struggled to like...or are really crazy to ask. Like asparagus...or liver. I try to fix things there are elements of that they like. Even if we have tacos...I don't mix the beans in their meat. I get it. I think little kids have really sensitive taste buds...and like bland food. I get it. I think as you grow...you will like more things. Tastes and texture desires change. I don't really care for veggies allll up in my spaghetti sauce...I'm not gonna ask them to either. And it took me a long time to like chunks. I have lots of patience at the table. Cause I remember needing it too. And I don't want them to be hungry.

I have my limits though. We don't make 5 different meals...and if you don't eat it...you don't get a treat later. No special foods. Cause I try to give them something they will eat in the first place.

I'm all about being sneaky...(mind you...that same cheese was alllll smeared over the homemade mac and cheese she gobbled up yesterday...complete with sneaky zucchini and cauliflower.)

But toooo thick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too far....my patience is up. War is on. Go on hunger strike. Fine by me.

And I'm sure after the strike...I'll go back to fun patient meal mommy...but not right now. Tonight I think we'll be having something with big ol' chunks of tomatoes and some strong fresh Parmesan cheese. That grilled cheese will be looking goooood.

7 comments:

  1. you can always do what my mom did, make SOUR KRAUT and SAUSAGES!!!

    SICK!!!!!

    And then when I complained I got "this isn't a restaurant!"

    I still can't eat that junk. ew.

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  2. YOU GO GIRL !!!! Preach it, sista! I feel your pain. Keep up the good work with your girls. It's worth it in the long, and I do mean L--O--N--G, run!

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  3. I love it! You know my hubby introduced putting food coloring in to the mac-n-cheese, and now Mason won't eat it any other way. Kids...whaddya do!

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  4. Oh! My Goodness! ROFLOL!!! Pay BACKS!! I may not be able to name specifics...but I remember the battles!!! ....And after me ROFLOL...I DO sympathize....really I do....YES...REALLY...I DO!!! And I love you!!

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  5. My Dad's Mom cooked for 9! Her rule? "You don't like it? You know where the pantry is. Get a can of soup. This is what is for dinner. Eat or don't, but I am not making a special plate for you."

    My mom made us try stuff. We had to chew two whole bites. If we still didn't like it, then we got a pass. I can't eat Brussels Sprouts. I hate peas. (My bro used to swallow them like pills. I never got that creative.)

    I don't remember complaining that there was too MUCH cheese. I do remember there never being enough jelly! Dad made PB&J's best, because he liked jelly too. ;-)

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  6. I hear ya girlfriend. My daughter is also an "opportunistic eater," as Hubby calls her. Little Missy would definitely be holding out for the snack at school. Good luck!

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  7. OH the joys of motherhood!! It's like I tell my daughter: "I've had many more years of practicing the art of stubbornness than you have! You DO NOT want to try me!"
    Way to be strong!!

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