Borderline Retarded

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I have been cooking up a storm. I planned out a menu for the entire week last week - and we have had some pretty good food cooking around our house! I am so happy to be organized enough that I can cook when I get home from work. I really do enjoy it. We've had herb marinated flank steak with rice pilaf, pork pot roast, chili, and my favorite chicken - rubbed with seasonings and olive oil, baked in the oven with chicken stock and white wine, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese. And, to top it all off, cheesecake. My happiness would be complete if only I could get old baby to try any of it!

New baby has loved every jar of baby food we have given him. Applesauce, carrots, peas, green beans and squash. He can't get enough! So different form his big brother who used to gag on every type of baby food I tried to give him. I do feel somewhat vindicated though; everyone has always blamed me for how picky old baby is about food. Watching new baby devour everything has helped me realize that a lot of it has to do with the individual child, too.

Nobody praises me because new baby eats everything in site, but I sure have been criticized for my older boy's finnicky eating habits. He seems to have not only an aversion to strong flavors, but to texture as well. He won't even eat white rice for crying out loud! My mother is still trying to give me helpful "hints" to get old baby to eat a larger variety of food. I always kind of feel good when she acts all surprised that it didn't work - is that wrong? I guess it bothers me that I question myself, instead of having the courage to say "I know because I am his mother".

I would greatly benefit from some advice (not from my mother) on how to encourage a child to try new foods. It always seems like such a struggle.

4 Comments:

  • I apologize in advance for this, but I don't have any tips. I can totally sympathize though. My son is becoming increasingly picky, and I know what it feels like to try something new or get your hopes up about him eating something (anything besides waffles, for us), and then...nothing. My son is particular about textures as well. I was just thinking to myself yesterday that I needed to buy a book or talk to someone about getting small children to eat food and like it. And people do tend to stigmatize the parents when it comes to children and their eating habits, as though you personally have something to do with the fact that junior doesn't even like to look at peas.

    And I further agree with you on the joys of organized cooking, especially after work. For me, coming home after working all day and being able to make something delicious is fantastic. Especially when it's not a hassle.
    Anyways...kudos for the cooking!

    By Blogger Moxie Cotton, at 6:12 PM  

  • Try the tough approach. If he won't eat what you give him, then have him watch while you put it away. Tell him there is a time to eat and this is what we're eating. Then don't give him anything.

    Believe me, when he's hungry, he'll eat. Got the advice from a tough old codger doctor. Worked like a charm on my kids.

    Seems only to work until about preschool age, though.

    By Blogger Kingfisher, at 6:24 PM  

  • won't eat white rice? wow. That's gotta be a first!

    By Blogger Squishi, at 5:13 AM  

  • He will eat when he gets hungry. It's just a phase. I haven't had a kid starve to death yet!

    Congrats on using the menu to set up the weeks dinners. That's what we do and the kids get to make suggestions as I compile the weeks grocery list. It really takes the pressure off of "What do I make for dinner?"

    I really enjoy the "realness" of your blog.

    By Blogger Della, at 1:18 PM  

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