I bet that title got your attention.
Well, unfortunately, this is not a post where I discovered the answer to an age-old parenting dilemna. If I had the answer, I’d be making a bazillion dollars pimping it on Dr. Oz, Ellen and the Today Show.
Alas, I have no miracle cure for the picky eater.
What I do have is a reminder…a reminder like the one I gave myself about ten minutes ago.
RELAX!
Yes, relax. Just a little bit ago, I was getting really frustrated with Miss E. She asked for eggs. I made eggs. Then she decided she didn’t want the eggs. They were too “yucky”. I found myself about to yell, when I paused, took a deep breath and then proceeded to request two bites before she got down from the table.
This happens often. My non-fruit and vegetable eating child is required to eat one to two bites of whatever it is I’ve served. But that sometimes results in a battle of wills and I end up furious.
Sometimes she eats chicken; sometimes she doesn’t. I best be careful with spaghetti because God forbid there are any green flecks in my sauce. A rogue mushroom? Forget it. It’s a disaster of epic proportions.
For the most part, my daughter is in an amazing stage of life. She is sweet, funny and a total delight to be around…except when we’re eating. Those are the times I’ve contemplated just tossing her outside for awhile.
But I need to chill out.
My pediatrician has said she’s fine. She’s on the small side, but still growing normally. She’s getting most of the nutrients she needs from the carbs, protein and dairy that she consumes. I offer a vitamin on occasion just to give myself piece of mind.
I think the thing that drives me crazy is that most of things she doesn’t like, she’s never even tried. Home skillet eats applesauce by the gallon, but an actual apple? No way Jose. She won’t even lick it.
But we’ve come a long way since she first started solids and I need to remember that. She’ll now eat the tree part of ONE piece of broccoli and she’ll dip a carrot or two in ranch dressing. She even took a bite of asparagus last week.
Progress is progress right?
I just need to remember that when she refuses my dinner tonight.
We run into the same thing with our E. He’s FINALLY turning the corner a bit. I finally discovered that when we don’t nag him the entire dinner he does much better. Sometimes we’re 75% done eating before he really starts eating, but at least he’s eating. The hardest part is coming up with a good selection of dinners they’ll both eat every time. Because they’ll like it this week but next time I make it, it’s suddenly gross.