I don’t know what it is about turning 5 years old, starting school and suddenly not enjoying the foods you used to love. #2son no longer likes broccoli, anything with a sauce, dark leafy greens, pineapple and hot cereal. The same thing happened to my daughter when she started school. #1son went through a similar episode but thank goodness it was only a phase for him. Because I honestly think he’s going to be a famous chef one day. He loves food. He loves preparing food. And if he can’t help me prepare the meal (tricky knife work or a hot stove) he’s happy to sit and watch me cook. But back to #2son…..
A few nights ago I prepared a new dish for dinner. Something that I thought would be very kid friendly. Meatballs in a BBQ sauce (that has grape jelly in the mix for goodness sake) over egg noodles with string beans. He devoured the green beans. And asked for more. He ate two helpings of green beans but wouldn’t touch the meatball dish.
“It looks yucky,” he said.
“Try it. It has grape jelly in it, your favorite,” I pleaded.
He fussed. He pushed things around. He stalled. Meanwhile, his brother was finished and on to dessert.
“Can I have that for dessert, too?” #2son asked.
“Yes, after you finish your dinner.”
“But I don’t like it,” he said.
“You haven’t even tried it yet. You like noodles. Try some noodles.”
He tasted the noodles. Not bad. So he ate all his noodles.
“Now can I have dessert?”
“No,” I said, “You still haven’t finished your dinner.”
He eyed the meatballs. He looked at me.
“But the meat has too much sauce on it and I don’t like the sauce and I still want dessert,” #2son explained.
“You have to eat the meatballs, too. It’s part of your dinner and if you want dessert you have to eat ALL of your dinner.”
“But I don’t like the meat!” he cried.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “You can’t have dessert if you don’t eat your meat. How can you have any dessert if you don’t eat your meat?”
And then I burst out laughing. And ran to go put on my Pink Floyd CD.
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