The only veggie I remember disliking as a child were peas, I am sure there were more but that is what has stuck with me. I didn't like them but I ate them anyway because my parents told me I had too. They never gave me too much, and never made me have seconds so it was good.
I am not sure what it is about kids and veggies, when they are tasteless pureed disgusting mush they scarf them down, but when it is seasoned and tasty they turn their noses up at them. This problem has led to mom's creating cookbooks where you hide the veggies from the kids to make sure they eat them. I am not sure that I am on board with that plan, I want my kids to become good eaters and eat their veggies. I follow the same rules my parents did, if you don't like the veggie you don't get a lot of it, and there is no need for seconds.
I think these are fair rules, my children however do not. Our home is in the current grip of the Veggie War. With mom, dad, and the veggies waging battle against the kids. There our days our campaign is successful, there are other days where we want to throw up our hands and let the kids eat only processed sugars for the rest of their lives. It is a tough war, one where I can't really see an end, for as soon as we have one child happily eating their veggies, two more will rise up in anarchy. See my problem?
Today was only one battle in this never ending war, and today it was James versus the Zucchini. Here's what I don't get, James likes zucchini, not as much as broccoli or beans but he likes it. Today though when I looked over from the dishes to James still sitting at the table looking sad at his plate I noticed this was the only thing left. By this time he had been eating for fifty minutes and all he had were four pieces of zucchini sitting there and thus it started. Much like other battles, it was a minor incident at first, me asking, James refusing. Then it grew.
"James, you have five minutes to eat your vegetables on your own, if you don't I will feed them to you and you will go to bed at the same time as Matty."
Corporal James gets a glint in his eye, "With Matty?"
General Mom senses a strategical error and tries to correct, "No not with Matty, you will be in a separate room, oh and you won't get dessert."
Corporal James takes a moment to think about it while General Mom continues with the the dishes, "James, you are down to four and a half minutes."
The corporal looks at his food and mumbles something, intelligible only to those under the age of two who he is clearly trying to recruit to his side.
"Jamesy not like his food," Private Matty translates.
"James, two minutes."
The corporal stares at his food, as if looking menacingly at it will make it turn tail and run. Major Zucchini holds its ground.
Time on the offer expires and the General moves towards the Corporal. "Last chance."
Silence.
As the Veggie forces advanced the Corporal held to his beliefs, and at least he had that comfort while chewing the zucchini and going to bed early.
Yeah, the battle was over and will be waged again, probably tomorrow. It is a win for veggies but as the war continues I find myself staring longingly at the veggie hiding cookbooks and wondering when it is I will give in.
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