Broccoli Blues

Posted by Commander Mommy

May 9, 2008 |

I was tooling around Rachael Ray’s forums today and they got me thinking about picky eaters. I guess I’m pretty lucky because my kids will eat most things. I’m a big believer in not allowing a kid to get too set in their ways about what they will and will not eat. At least once a week, my kids try something new. One of the more memorable occasions happened a few months back when I introduced them to broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole.

My boys have always loved vegetables and cheeses of all kinds. I craved tomatoes and cottage cheese my entire pregnancy with Little Man. Of course, I also craved sushi which is apparently a big no-no when you venture into Hutt-hood, erm, when you are with child (which should have been an indication right there of the ‘I want to tear my hair out now plz’ moments of frustration that motherhood can bring). Neither of my children, however, seem to care for rice of any sort. I’m trying to overcome that by serving it with things that they really like.

When I served them the casserole, they immediately made ‘the face’ and decided they weren’t going to like it. In a fit of what can either be described as brilliant parental know-how or as utter madness, I took a bite and then responded, “That’s too bad, you know. I like it. Besides, broccoli is the best food in the world if you want to win a farting contest.”**

The results were staggering (quite literally at times, I’m afraid). Little Man won the contest and I had three clean plates to wash that evening. I was also afraid to light a match in the house for two whole days.

When we went out to eat with a family friend later that week, Trooper discovered that he could have broccoli as a side. You might say that this is where the ‘utter madness’ part comes into play because his voice rang out in that quiet eatery as only preschooler’s can, “Mommy! I want bwoccowii so I can win the fahhting contest this time! Because bwoccowii means fahhting, wight Mommy? Wight?”

**CAUTION: Using this method to teach your young children to love broccoli may result in extreme embarrassment in restaurants.

Comments

7 Comments so far

Christopher Waldrop on May 9, 2008 2:15 pm
Why, oh why, was my mother never so creative? And I have to ask, as a mother who eats sushi, is there any food you wouldn’t try? When I was growing up my mother told me to try one bite of everything, but she turned her nose up when I offered her sushi. It was one of those “do as I say, not as I do” moments.
Linterambiel on May 9, 2008 5:37 pm
Hahahahah, yesterday when mom and I were hunkered down in cracker barrel to wait out the storm passing, we heard this one kid say really loudly “I am not a stinky booger!” in that same preschoolish voice that anybody can hear

Mom and I just died laughing. :p I think she was really grateful I’m old enough not to do things like that anymore
Kyps Lola on May 9, 2008 8:19 pm
Your children are certainly something. I liked your idea of getting them to eat. But yeah, some things that work at home aren’t necessarily the coolest things to do in public. They’re still cute, though, after the stares of the fellow patrons die down.
Kristina on May 10, 2008 12:52 am
Stinky but stellar idea. You are still an awesomely creative woman.
Paul on May 10, 2008 5:38 pm
Oh, that’s lovely.

Having kids with a brave taste in favourite foods sitting at the table and gorging on something exciting is a very good way to put the wind up a certain sort of haughty neighbour.

Well, BEING that kid was, for me.
Carolyn on May 13, 2008 7:38 am
So, one day, in the theater… Watching the movie Shrek 2, the fairy is mixing up this potion… a little of this, a little of that and a healthy dose of LUST!!! Well, of course, it was VERY quiet in the theater. My then 8 year old son said in a not so quiet voice, “Mommy, what is lust?!” Needless to say the laughter was deafening… These are the stories we save for when we meet their first girlfriends and are showing them the naked pictures…

Thanks for sharing!
Dharmamama on May 14, 2008 7:58 am
That is hilarious. Found your site because I googled “consensual living” - I’m a radical unschooler and live consensually with my guys. I suggested to someone they google it, then realized I had no idea what would come up! What a great post - and idea!