Meanwhile in Colorado:
Author: eaumaison (Page 69 of 210)
We were fed up with dinners. Jack had a narrow range of acceptable meals to him, and the range was getting smaller all the time. Foods previously enjoyed were now shunned with a side of whining. Dinner was a stress-fest of anxious questioning from Jack while I cooked, declaring he didn’t like and wouldn’t eat it before I even served it. During meals we tried all the usual tactics – modeling, disguising, offering, ignoring, negotiating, cajoling, bribing, and threatening.
Ben and I were sick of eating the same foods over and over, and sick of dealing with the dinner wars. After losing two disastrous battles (dubbed the Spaghetti Meltdown and the Teryaki Incident) we parents came up with a new strategy. The Dinner Game.
You start each meal with three tokens. You lose a token for each rule you break. The person/people with the most tokens at the end of the meal get a sticker on the chart towards a reward of their choice. The rules are:
- Wait until after the prayer to start eating
- No complaining about what is on your plate
- You must try everything on your plate
- “Try” means either a single bite that is chewed and swallowed, or three separate licks with your tongue.
- Take turns talking (no interrupting)
- Sit properly in your seat unless excused
- BONUS: You can earn back a single token by finishing your whole plate
Did it work? OH MY GOSH THIS WORKED SO HARD MY LIFE IS RENEWED AND THERE IS JOY IN THE WORLD.
I honestly can’t believe how well this worked. We’re talking like night and day different. Eating together is pleasant! Jack looks forward to dinner and enjoys it! I enjoy cooking for us now! Everything is so much better.
Let me add that I started a second change at the same time. I went back to cooking dinners from recipes instead of memory and improvisation. I spend time finding new things to try and making meal plans. I mostly have used the Blue Apron Cookbook and the new Mark Bittman “How to Cook Everything Fast” book.
- Pork and sweet potato/brussel sprout hash
- Schnitzel with beet salad
- Chicken tacos with queso fresca, avocado, and lime
- Spaghetti with vegetable-rich meatballs and broccoli
We ate that last one tonight. YOU GUYS. Jack ate broccoli. BROCCOLI! I don’t know why. He tried it, grimaced down a bite, rubbed his tummy and declared it good. Then he choked down the rest of it with copious water, “This is just to help swallow it down to my tummy.” He doesn’t have to finish everything. But he DID. He loves this game. He’s going to make the missionaries play it when they come to eat this week. Sometimes we declare “special rules” at home, meaning casual, no prayer, watch tv, eat how and what you want dinners. He was sad when we did this on the weekend because it meant no dinner game.
I asked him to give the game a better name. He said “Dad and Mom and Jack and Sam’s Sweetest Dinner Game.” We’re calling it “Sweetest Dinner Game” for short. Feel free to play your own at home 🙂
I was washing up in the kitchen, dancing to some tunes, and it dawned on me that I was happy. Perfectly happy and content. Whilst shaking my booty and scrubbing a pot I thought about why that is.
- My family is loving and adorable and fun
- My home is safe and big and clean and pretty
- I get to stay home with my kids AND keep working
- I get to teach fun high schoolers to dance
- Naps and bedtimes are mostly reliable
- Exercise and diet are back on after a holiday break; my body is thanking me for it
- I’m playing with clothes and hair and make-up more than I used to and it makes me smile when I look in the mirror
- Ben and I are going out on dates regularly
- Ben and I get alone time together every night
- We are going on a getaway trip to NYC; the planning is exciting
And lots of other small things that add up to little smiles: fresh flowers in the home, Friday Jimmy John lunches, new furniture in the living room, a new phone on the way, comfy slippers and robe, playing with FitBit, I’m reading a good fantasy book (Mistborn), and on and on and on.
Sometimes I only write when things are wrong or crazy. This is just to say that things are really really right.
Today is unseasonably warm. Sam overslept, so his morning nap wouldn’t fit during preschool hours. I decided to walk to school instead of driving to get Jack.
They seemed to really enjoy it. Jack is glad to be back in school and chatters incessantly about it. Sam plays hard. Despite the lack of nap and a tooth pushing up from its gumbed he’s still busy as a bee on the backyard. I think they were sun deprived.
Betty and Rick came to visit for Ben’s birthday. The boys were showered with attention and loved it. I had free hands to do some deep cleaning, put away all the Christmas decorations, and put together some new furniture. It was great! I’m a little sad I missed the museum trip. It looks like the kids had a blast. We also hosted the big Mason get together for all of Ben’s aunts, uncles, and cousins. Liz and Geoff were up from Australia with their kids Phillip and Katrice.
Sam is an adventurous and playful eater. I predicted that he will figure out how to blow bubbles in his milk and do all the other naughty things that kids do (that Jack never did) and then teach Jack how.
The VERY next day:
Today Ben gave Jack his first lesson in archery. He is getting the hang of it, and the pictures are ADORABLE.
Explaining how to hold it.
Assisting his grip
Twang! Look at the joy on his face.
His first shot! Gotta get the arrow.
A real look of determination now.
Love this.
I love how scrunched up broth their faces are.
All on his own now, no grip assistance from Dad!
Twang!
“This is the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!”
-Jack, repeatedly
Christmas Eve. Pizza dinner, Brian joined us. We watched the Muppet Christmas Carol while I did some last minute embroidery to label our $1.00 felt stockings. 
The stockings are hung, milk and cookies in place.
Jack made this Santa over Thanksgiving break and told the Mall Santa that he was going to give it as a gift. I helped him write a note so Santa would know to take it with him. It reads “SANTA THIS CRAFT SANTA.” Of course the jolly elf left a thank you note with his empty plate in the morning. 
Christmas morning! Sam woke at 6:30 per usual. Jack was snoozing but quickly woke when we all went in his room. The boys took a few seconds to figure out there piles, then dove in. 
Ben and Jack both received bows and arrows for Christmas. 
Sam tuckered out around 9 AM. We put him down for a nap and finished opening all the presents. Everyone was exceedingly generous this year. Jack started to get frustrated with opening because he wanted to play each thing right away!
Ben and I cleaned and we all noshed on sweets and breads and fruit. Snow started falling midday. By the time Amanda, Mom, and Dad made it over the mountains we had heavy snowfall. I’m glad they made it safely and had time to visit! Of course they had gorgeous handmade projects to share.
A nativity puzzle made by Mom.
A personalized family peek-a-boo book for Sam from Amanda.
I made a shawl for Amanda, she made me a lovely tote. 
Sam and Jack both chugged their egg nog.
We got to see them again this morning for brunch before they scooted off to their flight to NYC. Jack FINALLY got to make snow angels in the yard. 
What a wonderful Christmas!
Recent Comments