This picture has nothing to do with this post. It’s how I found Ainsley’s school things last evening. Those are her shoes tucked inside the front of her coat. And somehow she managed to leave her sleeves in the backpack. She’s a funny kid.
She’s also a discriminating eater. I say it in this way so I don’t jinx myself into having a picky eater…. because I refuse to admit we might have a picky child. But I tell you this – she was born this way. She’s been more particular about what she accepted into her mouth since the time I started her on solids. The other day I made a list of all the things she likes for dinner. I sat at the kitchen island while she dictated what she likes… homemade mac and cheese, ham sandwiches, potato soup, chicken, asparagus, and so on. Natalie also wanted to make a list of her own with foods she likes to eat which included everything but the kitchen sink.
I told Ainsley the purpose of the list was to help me remember what she likes and doesn’t like. I specifically told her I’d still make things on her ‘dislike’ list, but I’d try to make the things she likes more often.
Last night I tried a new recipe for fish coated with crushed almonds, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Fish is not on Ainsley’s like list. It is on her dislike list. When she saw it she said, “What is that?…. That’s not on my list…. (more panic in her voice) I only eat things on my LIST. WHERE’S MY LIST?!” At this point she was doing laps around the kitchen island, the very one we sat at to make her list, and yelling in a high-pitched voice. I felt bad for her.
I purposely didn’t tell her the mystery meat was fish. Instead I said, “I think you’ll like this. Let’s just give it a try and see what you think. You don’t have to eat a lot, just two bites, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat the rest.”
Popping out from her hiding place at the far side of the kitchen island she said meekly, “But it’s not on my list.”
I dished her up the tiniest nugget of fish along with rice and steamed veggies. “Just try it,” I encouraged and walked away to plate up more food. Out of the corner of my eye I spied her picking up the chicken-nugget-sized fish and taking a bite… then another… and then another. I put Natalie’s plate on the table, stood right beside Ains and looked down at her nonchalantly. “How is it?” I said meekly. She smiled at me shyly…. “I like it, but I’m not eating the vegetables.”
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (5)
Score one for mom! I think you handled that great! I am glad she liked it.
We have a granddaughter who is a picky eater. I’d like to say it got a lot better now that she is a grown up 19 year old…but not really.
I think some kids are super tasters and texture people…and I have read some articles on this. It seems lots of people are that way.
Hang in there momma.
Love, Linda
haha that’s funny. How old is Ains? 5?
Is Ainsley related to her Pop? 🙂
Is Ainsley related to her Pop? 🙂
re the picture: Having encountered a similar scene – my kid was getting set up for the next time out the door, the thought being that the shoes would not be lost – as they always were – and that the whole coat and backpack thing could be one smooth motion. Sort of like a ‘to-do list’ only in things not words.