Meatballs and Cottage Cheese

I swear, sometimes it's like Dave and I have to be food artists or food make-up artists to get Jonathan to eat something other then hamburgers or chicken strips. I know that we aren't the only ones out there that have to be meal magicians.

For instance, last week...or maybe the week before, anyway one of these weeks I had some of that once in a while chance to place myself in a grocery store completely family free and while roaming in a daze enjoying the silence there was a mom arguing with her daughter of probably around 7. She sighed and said...you have to eat something, anything besides meatballs and cottage cheese. I giggled as I walked by grabbing a box of toaster strudels. Yes, the frozen soft version of a pop tart that my son eats for breakfast almost every day.

When I was a kid my step mom would put a plate in front of me of whatever we were eating for dinner and if I whined and cried that I didn't like it then I didn't get dessert and I pretty much starved and went to bed. Remembering how miserable this made me I made a decision I would never do that to my child. Now, I change my mind. As a mom and an adult I have the right to do that. Right? Well ok, I'm not going to starve him and make such threats but I don't make separate meals anymore.

How is this working for me? Pretty good actually. What I decided to do is make dinner more interactive. By this I mean either let Jonathan help make some part of the meal or ask him how he may want something prepared or maybe he would like a particular condiment on the side. Be positive, not negative. Why raise everyone's blood pressure with threats? Really all they do is ruin your great day, give you a headache, waste precious time together (especially if your a full time working mom) and most of all give your kid a bad memory to store in that head that remembers everything. Sure, this doesn't work all the time. Afterall, Jonathan has good days and bad days just like anyone else. But it's always worth the effort. I mean really, a year ago J wouldn't go anywhere near most of the foods he eats now and by the time we finally sit down and eat, we enjoy our time together.

So next time you you are thinking of making steak or salmon and your kid says all they want is meatballs and cottage cheese, find a way to add to the meal a little bit of my favorite seasonings...Love, Patients and Ketchup!