Such Pretty Faces

Welcome back and let’s dive right into this light and fluffy topic. This week I wanted to share something that frequently impacts my day. It is a thankless activity, and despite my best efforts (most days), is generally a suicide mission. What is it you ask?

Feeding my children.

I have the pure luck of having 2 kids with complete opposite tastebuds, preferences, stomach sizes and culinary interests. And because the universe has an extra spicy sense of humor, neither of them like ANY of the foods that my wife and I eat. So yes, I am making 2-3 different meals at each feeding time. To cut myself some slack, their breakfast options are quite limited and most are self serve. I simply can’t take that pressure so early, nor do I want to begin the day by wanting to end it all. But then lunch rolls around….and no matter the planning or timing or combination of foods, inevitably I get one of the following:

“I don’t want that. I don’t like that anymore”  (item was consumed by said child 2 days ago)

“That’s not very much food” (only 4 items on the plate instead of a smorgasbord)

“I don’t have what she has “ (right, bc you don’t actually like it)

“Can I have something else” (only if you cook it)

“I don’t want to try anything new” (then tell yourself you’ve already had it and loved it).

This is just a sampling of the beginning chatter at most of our trough times. I can feel your jealousy at these frequent scenarios and I can also sense that you may want to offer some “helpful” tips such as:

“Don’t negotiate with terrorists”

“Just make one meal and they either eat, or they don’t”

“Who’s running the show- you or the kids?”

TRUST ME- these thoughts have also entered my mind. However, it really is an a*#hole move to present them with food that I know they don’t like and require them to eat it, just because it is what the wifey and I want to eat. At least, it is in my opinion. So I continue to go on these suicide missions. Once in awhile, I get it right and most times I crash and burn.  And that is just how it’s gonna be until I enroll them in culinary school and they learn to cook for all of us. What age is that social acceptable- how about 5???