Whenever I’m around others while LB and me while eating, they kind of look at me weird, and some even make passing comments. Sometimes I wonder whether they are judging me on the food choices I made for my daughter and myself. Does anyone else really care? Eh, it doesn’t even matter. I know that my daughter will only eat what and as much as she wants to eat, but at times I’ve found myself getting anxiety about it. I just have to remind myself that all I can do is give her as many choices and be as persistent as I possibly can, so she can have the best shot at growing and all that good stuff.
One of my daughter’s favorite foods has to be broccoli though. I think that’s why people look at me funny if we’re out eating, and my little munckin is munching on broccoli. I don’t really think it’s weird, but I rarely see any other kids eating it, maybe that’s why I get weird looks? It does always make me smile when I see another kid munching down on the greens too though. Mostly because I understand what it takes to get that to happen.
I know that it can be hard to get kids to eat certain foods, and the biggest challenge I’ve personally had to deal with is having to get over the incredible amounts of food (and money) getting wasted. For that reason, I don’t judge others on what they decide to give their own children to eat. It also takes a lot of patience, endurance and consistency to get kids to eat their fruits and veggies, and I don’t blame anyone for putting it off. It wasn’t like I just one day started giving my daughter broccoli and she happily ate it from day one. HAH, if only!
It took me many days of frustration and anxiety, and days of giving my daughter foods that weren’t exactly healthy just so she would eat. When it comes down to it, we all just want to make sure our kids get some sort of nourishment, even if it’s not the best thing for them, at least it’s calories.
Same thing with carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, spinach, peas, and other such veggie things. We’re actually still working on some of those. She did take really well to fruits, but she refuses to eat anything sliced, and if it is, it will be quickly REJECTED. If she wants it, she will get it whole, on her terms, when she wants it, and as long as she wants…I don’t know, I think she doesn’t like her hands to get dirty…and yes, she can be stubborn!
The protein part can be tough at times because she only wants to eat eggs or tofu, and beans depending on her mood. She’s not really that big on chicken or beef or turkey. I think it also has something to do with teething because tofu and eggs are much easier to eat than other forms of protein.
The funny part all of this is that I never realized how willing I was to eat something off the floor once I thought about starving children, and how grateful they would be for that food. Sometimes I still eat things that my daughter threw onto the floor out of impulse and the “5 second rule,” but also slightly out of guilt. I try to ignore the throwing food on the floor behavior so it won’t get any negative or positive reaction. It’s happening less and less, thankfully.
How many times are you willing to give a food to your child without them eating it before you finally give up? Have you ever eaten something off the ground that your child threw there? I don’t know how many times I’ve caught myself (and hubby) doing it!
Happy Tuesday!
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Ian still isn’t doing brocolli well, I think it has to do with the txture.
Yeah, I notice that when LB is teething, she doesn’t want the broccoli so much. She will eat it if it’s just right and easy to bite through. It’s just one of those things that needs patience and persistence.