Hi Friends! Teaming up with the usual suspects this week for our April installment of Mom Talk. This month we’re all chatting about how we approach food with our little ones. This is so timely for me personally because I had a major aha moment over the weekend that I’ve been wanting to share.
Before I dive in, make sure to check out these mamas for their take on food!
I have two completely separate eaters. Grace will eat just about anything, but Brian, he’s on a whole other level of NOT eating anything. He’s pretty much always been this way and I definitely think a lot of it has to do with texture and just his overall personality. When I say personality, over the years I’ve learned it takes Brian a while of observing behavior before he jumps in with two feet. This carries over with sports, literally skirted around the soccer ball for 9 out of 10 games and then finally with a ton of coaching and practice, wen’t for it in game 10. Same with school and friends, he’s very friendly but I’d say more surface before he really lets people in. Same with food. He’ll have to see us eating something multiple, multiple times before he’ll even THINK about trying it. Chicken wings were the latest. I’m on a wing kick and every time we go out to dinner, I must have them. I ordered NON-SPICY ones and Brian asked to try them (should I really be cheering for chicken wings? prob not…) There must have been a little spice because the kid went nuts, screaming crying. I was like DUDE these are NOT spicy!! I think he was scared they were going to be or something..
K so we’ve established that Grace is easy, Brian is hard when it comes to eating. Going to lead into my major moment, revelation that happened earlier this week. On Saturday night, Brian requested butter and cheese on his spaghetti instead of tomato sauce. This was a first because the kid always ate tomato sauce. Grace insisted on spaghetti, Brian wanted penne so I told him if he would eat the spaghetti I would serve it to me as he requested, with butter. We’re all sitting at the table chowing down and Brian won’t eat it.
I should note here, Brian is VERY thin. I am desperate for him to gain a couple pounds. At his 5 yo. well visit, the pediatrician didn’t seem too worried but he had only gained two pounds throughout the entire year so we agreed to keep an eye on it.
Having this in the back of my head and the frustration over him being so picky got to me at that very moment, and I screamed, “JUST EAT!!!”. He saw my anger and then started bawling. I felt terrible, he felt terrible, it was terrible. From that moment on, I said to myself, EFF iiiit. I want him to have a happy relationship with food, not always feel this constant burning pressure when I watch him eat so I’m giving the kids what he wants. Chicken quesadillas, hot dogs, chicken tenders, french fries, pizza, these are the foods he eats and that’s what he’ll be getting for now because this mama can’t deal with the anxiety and stress that I’m most likely passing onto him at mealtimes. I’ll always have other foods available but I’m not saying boo for a while.
Bottom line, he needs to gain weight and I don’t really care if he doesn’t like brussel sprouts at age 5. I’d rather him NOT have stress when he’s eating then actually swallow a green. He’ll grow up and probably eat everything under the sun, right now I just need to focus on him physically growing and fostering a happy meal time. Oh, he does love peppers, carrots and cucumbers drenched in vinegar so I do have that!!
SO that’s where I am with food right now! Grace didn’t get much love here but she literally eats everything and it probably has a lot to do with her being a second child and me just giving her whatever we were eating from the time she could pick up food, but also her personality. She tends to dive right into things without a second thought, and is very confident. Move over, gimme that steak.
How are your kids?? Do you fight the battle at home with any of your little ones?? Tell me in the comments!
And here’s to giving ourselves some grace and just letting it happen when it will happen, damn brussels…they’re only good cooked with bacon and balsamic anyway!
