WHY WON'T YOU EAT YOUR FOOD?

I wonder how Lukas survives. The child refuses to eat anything and everything we put on the table for dinner. It doesn't matter what it is, he will shun it. We have pizza, he shuns it, Mac and Cheese, he shuns it. The weird thing is, it's just if it's dinner. He eats it if it's for lunch. Seriously, I can get him to eat all kinds of goodness for lunch, but dinner it's a completely different story.

"Lukas time for dinner."

"What's for dinner dad?"

"Gummie Bears, Chocolate Milk, and a bowl of sugar."

"Blah, I hate that. That's yucky."

Seriously, what kid can't polish off their own bowl of sugar. I mean Mollie tries to do it every time we have anything with powdered sugar. Pancakes, Crepes, Waffles, Steak.  Seriously, the kids an addict.
Lukas on the other hand won't touch anything if it is for dinner.

When I was a kid I remember (not too fondly) a night when I didn't want to eat my green beans. To a kid, green beans are liking eating ...... something really gross. Like.... cooked carrots (it's the one thing as an adult I still have not been able to learn to like that I really should like. If it were wrapped in bacon, or dipped in Nutella or Ranch dressing, I'd probably eat it). Anyway, back to the story. I held my ground and didn't eat them, and my mother held her ground and didn't let me leave the table until I had eaten them. The rest of the family finished dinner and were excused, and I was alone. They soon returned though, to do the dishes (I was too young for dishes at that time) and everything was cleaned up, except my green beans. The hour struck 9 and I had already missed all the important TV shows on that night (The Disney Sunday Movie).

I came up with a plan. I would stuff all the beans in my mouth and hold them in my cheeks. I would ask to go to the bathroom, and while in the bathroom, spit them out into the toilet. This seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, and just got better and better. I also had really chubby cheeks so I could fit a lot in there. Looking back on it, I was pretty stupid though. Stuffing them in my mouth and holding them there, only left the green bean taste in my mouth last longer. Swallowing the stuff wasn't as bad because there aren't any tastebuds in your stomach. I also think my mom was on to me, but didn't say anything as I asked to be excused. I think she was just impressed that a six year old had come up with a prison technique for smuggling. I was destined for great things in life, let me tell you.

So with that experience, we employed the same tactic to our son Lukas. He couldn't leave the table until he had eaten, well, something. He stuck it out for a good long hour (We were having Tuscan cheese pasta that night, so it wasn't even a gross food.) We had to get a little more severe. So we started confiscating toys. First it was a bouncy ball, then spiderman, then his will to live... his Legos. Tears were shed, but I got over it quick. Lukas on the other hand held firm. Finally, bedtime was threatened. Lukas hates going to bed first, or alone for that matter. This kid doesn't eat or sleep, I don't get how he functions.

So I took him into his room to change his clothes to jammies. At this point he gave up. I was shocked, because he had actually took it to the point of being in bed before conceding. He came out, in jammies, sat on his stool, and allowed me to spoon feed him some pasta. He then exclaimed "I Like It!" Really? Seriously, it's cold pasta now. maybe he was just waiting for the right temperature. Maybe he doesn't like meals hot when they are supposed to be. In that case, he is going to love being a parent, because that happens all the time.

Lukas continued eating, of course I was spoon feeding him, and he kept chanting "I liked it, and so I tried it." a line from Yo-Gabba-Gabba's Broby. It's a little off but it works. He then began singing "There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy." Thank you DJ Lance for inspiring my kids to eat.