Apples. Bananas. Grapes.
Grapes. Apples. Bananas.
Bananas. Grapes. Apples.
These are the fruits my kid eats. And honestly, grapes are very hit or miss. No strawberries, no oranges, no peaches, no plums, no kiwis, no melons, no…. well, you get the idea. Hawkeye is what is commonly known as “a fussy eater”. I have repeatedly tried to get him to eat a greater variety of fruit but I have almost never succeeded in convincing him to try something, and on the rare occasion that he does condescend to try something I’m giving him it’s always the same reaction:
“What do you think, honey. Do you like it?”
Always the same hesitant response, slightly drawn out as if he’s still thinking about it.
“Yeah…”
“Would you like another piece?”
After a short pause, always the same follow up answer. “No, thank you.”
I cajole but I don’t force the issue.
It took quite a bit of gentle cajoling to get him to try a clementine slice. I’ve tried before and he’s never gotten as far as convincing himself to take a bite. So actually getting him to put it in his mouth and chew was triumphant. Did he like it, yes he did. I knew he wood. That was never going to be my hardest hurdle. I knew he would like.
Would he have another one though?
“Would you like another one?”
There’s a long pause. Say yes. Say yes. SayYesSayYesSayYesssssssss….
“Yeah…?”
He phrases it like a question, like he’s not quite sure what he’s saying, but his hand is a lot more confident as he reaches for the second slice with no hesitation.
He one whole clementine and half of the next one before he decides he’s had enough.
Just as I have never made getting him to try stuff into a battle, I didn’t want to make a huge deal about my victory in front of him. On the outside, I looked about as calm and unruffled as this guy:
On the inside? More like Loki hanging out the side of limo:
And I actually slipped out of the kitchen for a moment when he wasn’t looking, sidled over to The Mister, and did a happy dance, only slightly less elegantly than Katy Perry:
Victory is sweet. Like a clementine.
The Feathered Rose 