Going Bananas

Getting a kid to eat a balanced meal can be a challenge.

Not always, but during those stretches that it's a problem, you worry.  Is my child getting enough nutrients?  Should we go organic?  (Or, I guess I mean:  Should we go more organic than milk and the occasional piece of fruit?)

Then there's the bigger picture...  Forget about what the they're eating.  Are they getting enough food into their stomachs to stay alive?

After much suffering for a few years, and some consultation with fellow parents, I've decided to just go with the flow.  I now operate under the assumption that any eating issue that either of my kids has is temporary, and will eventually resolve itself.

Take our 4-year-old daughter.  She has long runs of "loving" a certain food, then "hating" it.

For example, she has loved bananas for as long as I can remember.  They're obviously a great infant munchable, and she just kept chowing them as she grew.  We keep bananas stocked as one of our go-to foods, since they're also good for her little brother.

But about two weeks ago, she declared, "I don't like bananas."  "Since when?" I responded.  "Since forever.  I never liked bananas."  Really?  Okay.  No more bananas.  I wasn't about to engage her;  I've learned that's a good way to make your brain's synaptic connections do things they're not supposed to do, and slowly cease to function.

Then a couple of days ago, my daughter suddenly said she wanted a banana.  "You're sure?" I asked.  "Yes, I love bananas.  I've never even had a banana."  Well, yeah you have -- probably hundreds of them.

At any rate, we didn't have any at home for our son at the time, so of course my response was:  "Okay, we'll get some more, next time we go the store."

Cut to the following trip for groceries, my daughter in tow.  I pick up a bunch of bananas, with her approval.

Cut to the next meal opportunity.  I offer her a banana.  She rejects it.

End Scene.  Or I guess that'd be End Act at this point.

So it's back to square one on bananas.  I'm sure they'll eventually come back into her favor.

Just yesterday, she told me she loved pears.  So I'll be picking up a couple on my next food run.

But let's face it...  I'm pretty sure I'll be eating pears next week.


If your kid doesn't eat well, how are you handling it?