Kids are CRAYYYY-ZY! There. We said it. They are moody -- laughing hysterically one minute, throwing themselves on the floor in tears the next. Eating organic grapes in the morning and then deciding that playdoh for lunch is a perfectly acceptable option.
And while we have figured out a lot in the kitchen on how to get our kids to be better eaters, every now and then, our kids throw Grade A tantrums at the dinner table and the picky eaters we said goodbye to long ago, rear their ugly heads. It may seem from our Instagram photos or the advice we have handed out here or here on Huffington Post, that we run households like Maria from Sound of Music. But believe us, whiny, picky kids are not a few of our favorite things. While we try to make sure our children's eating habits are near perfection, they're not always, because let's be honest, this parenting gig can be harder than riding a unicycle.
We wanted to let you know that we are in the same "I'm about to throw my own tantrum" world as you sometimes. And while we have found ways to have our kids eat a lot better and be more adventurous and global with their food repertoire, they also have cheat meals. Some days, our kids want candy, ice cream, cookies, and chicken nuggets... So we give in -- because just like having your kid say "no" to you all the time, saying "no" to your kid all the time is equally as annoying.
Generally, when we are at the end of our rope with our kids and we are just counting down the minutes until bedtime, we find ourselves texting each other and our mom friends to commiserate on the insanity that is our house and our family. The best thing about this is that no one judges because we have all been there. We also remind each other that this soon shall pass and we just need to get through today. Any of this sound familiar?
You can imagine the impressive collection of stories from the dinner table. Take a look at some of the "best of the worst" cheats we have used, just to get by. We have a feeling, they will make you feel better:
- I have served my kid birthday cake and ice cream for breakfast: dairy and carbs, right?
- I have alternated between brownie and dinner bites (brownie-food-brownie-food) to just get through dinner.
- I was too zapped to make breakfast for my kid one Saturday morning, so I served leftover mac and cheese.
- I had my son drink two Pedialytes for dinner because he refused to eat his meal and I was worried he'd be dehydrated from all the crying before bed.
- I give my kid lollipops when I need 10 minutes of silence in our house.
- My kid grabs two (rock hard) waffles from the freezer and brings them into my room and eats them in the morning - allowing me a few extra minutes before I have to start the day.
- On Fridays in the summer, I take my kids for ice cream at 4:45pm and pray they're not hungry for dinner so I don't have to prepare anything.
- One week I served my kids pizza 4 nights in a row, and then a quesadilla on the 5th night.
Ahhh... Feel better? We've been there. And so have you. And this is ALL okay. We're here to tell you not to get discouraged. A cheat here and there is fine if it helps keep your head above water -- No judgment. BUT, at Little Global Chefs, we are here to help you keep those "my kid only wants hotdogs for dinner" days to a minimum. We're going to continue to be here to offer legit solutions to help reign your crazy kids in from the oh-so annoying picky eating stages. Because picky eating is ANNOYING! And if anyone gets your struggle, it's us...just remember that!
So stick with us. Every meal might not be perfect every time, but remember what we said last week: it's a marathon, not a sprint. So stretch your legs, hydrate yourself (with a glass of wine, or two!) and get ready to cook with those rascals! We're going to tell these kids who's boss and whip these kids' palates into shape (while we give them a gummy bear. KIDDING!!).
You in?