The boys are at Camp Grandparent this week, and loving it. Naps were taken, bikes ridden, puzzle completed, two playgrounds and a pool visited, and that was all on the first day. And perfect behavior can only lead to one thing: a dinner time meltdown. Dave grilled chicken for fajitas and I sauteed red and green peppers and onions, and also made pico de gallo. Yum. And a salad. Somehow Luke ended up at the head of the table and was getting served first. I had eaten most of my lunch today by 11 am, and I was hangry. Dave was explaining to Luke how we have a "no thank you bite policy" and he needed to take a bite of a vegetable before he could say no thank you, and please pick a vegetable, and Luke picked broccoli. Did we make any broccoli? No. Meanwhile I am just shoving food into Jack's mouth as fast as possible so that on the off chance some food gets to me, I'll have a brief interlude between squawks from my baby bird to inhale some morsels. Long story short, I sent Luke to his room for demanding to be served broccoli. Has any child in the history of these United States been sent to his or her room for demanding broccoli? Today, history was made.
After I had taken some bites, and needed to get up anyway for some reason, I made a quick detour to the room of the sobbing young man to try to calm him down. Usually in instances like these he makes up a story about hurt feelings or something, I console him and tell him he can come back to the table when he has calmed down. But I when I walked into his room he said, "I'll come back when I GET BROCCOLI!" Okaaaay, at least I don't have to feel like maybe it was unnecessary to send him to time out. So I said, "Well, if you want to influence what is served at the dinner table, you need to be more involved in the meal preparation. You know the rules, feel free to come back when you have calmed down. If we are still sitting at the table, you can join us." Sobbing ensued. But he pulled it together and rejoined us at the table a little later.
Oh, and the other day I said, "Do you want some ranch dressing for your broccoli?" The fact that he turned it down isn't surprising because he doesn't really like ranch, but it was a little odd that he said, "No, just broccoli, straight up!"
Another point of view on broccoli.
Photo credit.
4 comments:
As a Dietitian, I am just so totally impressed!! Too bad Luke is not in the political arena yet to influence other kids!!
A child demanding broccoli? Unheard of in my family. Amazing..... I'm speechless.......
Megan, Your blog cracks me up as always! I was at work, sitting at my desk, and laughing out loud, literally. I think if Curtis would have demanded broccoli, I would have been so happy that I would have just made him some. So funny. You should seriously write a book. I would buy it.
Oh, and my favorite sentence of the whole post..."Meanwhile I am just shoving food into Jack's mouth as fast as possible so that on the off chance some food gets to me, I'll have a brief interlude between squawks from my baby bird to inhale some morsels." So true - we mother's know. And if you get any morsels, they are cold!
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