The art of persuasion
In an ideal world I would send my children off to school each day with a nutritious, organic, salt free, home made, preservative free, high fibre, low fat perfectly balanced lunch and snack. However, I don’t or rather I don’t live in an ideal world and I send my children to school with a bunch of junk. I send my little darlings to school with a bunch of junk on the off-chance that given a less than perfect setting, they may just eat a mouthful or maybe two. Lunch times are noisy and busy and over stimulating and just about everything is more interesting or testing than eating, which is pretty low down on their personal agendas.
Whilst neophobia has been banned from our lives following the 5 year food campaign, it is not a total success. With persuasion and patience he does indeed eat a full panoply of food at home, at dinner time but we are still spoon-feeding him, quite literally. The spoon-feeding will be faded but in the meantime we count are blessings and try not to count his ribs as the clothing campaign still flounders.
It is therefore with some suppressed giggle factor that I take on board the very wise words of another mum. Another mum has witnessed the true vileness of my children’s lunch when she happened, just by chance to be present during the cafeteria madness, otherwise known as luncheon at school. She is of course duly horrified by my indulgence but manages to speak in diplomatic tones since I am so clearly a charity case in need of her no doubt vastly superior nutritional advice.
“It’s just….you know……during STAR testing we want them to have the very best chance.”
“Yes you’re absolutely right.”
“Healthful snacks…..that’s what we recommend.”
“Quite, quite.”
“It’s just that he told me he packs his own……you might just want to check what he chooses.”
“I shall, I shall. I do, I do.”
“It’s great that he’s learned to be so independent.”
“You’re right, very true.”
“It’s a pity the trash cans are right next to the recycling cans.”
“Luckily they can all read very well. The icons are very helpful, eye catching.”
“It’s not rocket science but every bit helps.”
“You can be sure he’ll make the right decision for him.”
May 15th, 2009 at 5:05 am
We still have to spoon feed little boy at times. I can’t seem to get the 2 eldest (Father and son) to kick the TV habit at meals which doesn’t help.
S.
May 15th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Great read
Cookies for breakfast are pretty common here
- I literally puree chicken curry + veggies + rice/quinoa – every night and spoon feed him while he os watching TV
And that is the most healthful meal of the day
The rest of the day is pure junk – like chicken nuggets
Still I am very grateful when his tummy is full
May 15th, 2009 at 6:43 am
i just dig that bowl, great work Maddy!
May 15th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Love the bowl, too! Kind-of on the American concept of making words out of alphabet soup.
Hiss on the woman who advised you on feeding, but you aptly expressed your understanding of her (unknowing) perspective. You are most diplomatic, Maddy.
And so, whoever wrongly judges mothers-who-spoon-feed their children, so also they might judge those who tube-feed, eh?
Feeding our children…one of those definitions of motherhood on which we are judged. Thank goodness for your children, you are over that. Standing with you on life-sustaining calories over social pressure.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:47 am
We’re in the middle of an e-mail “cupcake war” right now, over whether kids should have to bring healthy snacks in on their birthdays.
I’m tired of do gooder busy-bodies trying to tell me how to raise my kids, when I am fairly certain that the meals we feed them at home are probably healthier than what they feed their kids at home.
Joe
May 15th, 2009 at 9:29 am
These are YOUR kids. Good grief. Boo on her!
I think the bowl is an excellent idea. :]
May 15th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Wot you mean Goldfish aren’t “healthy”?!? I think my son would have an easier time lopping off an appendage than eating a “forbidden” food. Wouldn’t matter if Mario and Luigi spoon fed him themselves.
That bowl is adorable!
May 15th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Oh, I’m just dying to know what your son eats during lunch. Mine has, every singe day, a pre-mixed bottle of Carnation Instant Breakfast. I’m convinced it’s the only thing keeping him alive. Occasionally he will manage a few bites of dry cereal. Oh, and I spoonfeed him a Boston Cream Pie yogurt each morning, because it’s the only thing he’ll eat.
Love the bowl! Clever.
May 16th, 2009 at 12:26 am
I have suffered many years of motherly-angst for allowing my daughter to pack her own (incredibly unhealthy) lunch. But it’s that, or NO food, which I am assuming is worse…?
May 16th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
You know, I came over to comment on this post and got distracted by the whole cat thing. It’s a relief to know we’re not the only ones spoon feeding. We have Austen (finally) eating a bit at school and he does a few bites on his own each day at home, but he’s still mostly spoon fed by one of us.
May 16th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
And I love the bowl.
And it makes me giggle when people try to give me advice on feeding Austen. Bwah!
May 17th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Such a usefule blog?wow !!!!