One of my biggest frustrations as a mom is feeding the children. The expert advice I always heard and heeded was that you present the child with the meal you've prepared, but make sure that there are one or two things included that they'll eat. I did that for a long time. The experts also advise that if the child doesn't want to eat something, not to make an issue of it. So in doing that, the majority of meals in fact ended up being an issue. The kids were whining, crying, gagging and acting like they were being tortured. It made me really mad. At times dinner turned into a drama fest with kids being sent to their rooms. And then crying that they were hungry, me growling, and the whole method being turned upside down and puking on all of us.
We were watching Super Nanny a few weeks ago. That show always makes me cry, because the kids are SO BAD, and I think and sometimes say, "those children would not be alive if they were mine." I really do cry- not because of the touching ending, but because I just feel so sorry for that poor mother who doesn't know what to do with her kids. And sometimes,
I am that mother. ANYHOOT, on this episode, the 5 and 6 year old kids were bawling, screaming, kicking, hitting- seriously acting like 2-year olds because of dinner. Do you know what the Super Nanny said? She said
that those kids were going to sit at that table until they ate their dinner! She said that! Only one kid didn't eat, and she got sent to bed early.
It was so liberating! So the next day we had a chat with the kids. I told them that they were going to start eating more of what I make, they would sit at the table until they did, and there would be no complaining. They nodded solemnly and agreed. It has been an amazing success. Anders, my most finicky eater, now eats what is on his plate. Yesterday he ate
pork roast, people. And he liked it! He tries new food and realizes he likes it. We're still a long way from him eating any old thing, but he has made incredible progress. I think he especially is old enough for us to lay down the law. There have been a few marathon sitting-at-the-table sessions, but overall dinner is a much more enjoyable time. And that makes me want to cry.
Last week we found this cool old bridge just a few minutes from our house. I suspect it's the bridge from the movie "Footloose". Some guy was fishing and offered to take our picture. One of a very few family pictures with all of us in it!
Today was the primary program in our ward. Anders' age group each held a picture of a prophet and said, "Joseph Smith was a prophet" and so on.
Here's Addie, all ready for preschool. She's a cutie pie, that one. She's informed me that she wants to be a princess and pony maker when she grows up. Also, she will only wear dresses, so these cute jeans have a permanent spot in her drawer. Can't fight the power, I guess.
Aani saw the camera and made this face. HAM. She cracks us up. She loves dogs now. Her two favorite words are buh-ball and dog-dog. Too bad we're never getting a dog.
Addie has been a little sad since Anders goes to school every day. I didn't put Anders in preschool when he was three so I didn't plan on it with Addie, but she keeps asking where she gets to go. She's starting a little neighborhood preschool tomorrow, so I think she'll love it.
We got Aani a job at a call center, so that's where she'll be when the older ones are at school. The girl's gotta earn her keep. Money doesn't grow on trees, young grasshopper.
