Short stack
Tuesday, August 12 2008
File Under:
Daily, Leta, Parenthood
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448 comments
One of the most obvious things I inherited from my father, other than the shape and length of my body, my chin, my forehead, my ears, and that highly flammable sense of righteous indignation that usually erupts in the middle of 1) the local news, 2) traffic, and 3) phone calls with customer service personnel who do not speak English, is a love for greasy spoon diners. The dirtier the place the better, maybe because that is somehow proportional to the amount of butter they use in their pancakes. If my father were given the choice between an expensive dinner with the current Republican president or a lunch alone at a truck stop diner that is cooking its hamburgers in a vat of bacon grease collected over the period of fifteen years, he'd say, DO NOT FORCE ME TO MAKE THAT CHOICE, GEORGIE.
Our favorite local greasy spoon is a place called The Blue Plate, and we often go there for brunch on the weekends, mainly because it's one of the only non-chain sit-down restaurants that has something on the menu that Leta will eat. She always orders the home fries which are basically potatoes cut into squares and then fried. And then she eats half of a bottle of ketchup. Is it the healthiest meal? Of course not, but we've run it by her pediatrician who has eight kids, one who was exactly like Leta, and he said, look! She's getting potassium! And ketchup is sometimes made out of real tomatoes! So stop coming in here with these stupid concerns and call me when she's managed to lodge a quarter in her nostril.
A couple of weeks ago when we were on our way to brunch Jon quietly talked to me in the front seat about how he wanted to try to get Leta to try pancakes that morning. We both understand how important it is to provide a united front when it comes to disciplining your kids (when spanking, both parents should use the same wooden instrument) or trying to teach them anything, and we're usually very good about that, except when it comes to her eating habits. Because that is a battle I specifically chose to stop fighting. It was taking years off my life and making me so crazy that getting up from the dinner table and counting to a hundred was not calming me down one bit. In fact, it gave me more time to think about HOW INSANE my child was that she wouldn't eat a fucking peanut butter sandwich. WITH JELLY. WHICH IS SUGAR. SUGAR ON BREAD. A kid who won't eat a certain type of sugar. So trying to exert any influence on that was like going, you see that nuclear bomb over there? I think I could defeat it with this here spitball.
But I was in a good mood that morning, had slept in past eight o'clock and that had made my brain a little woozy and disoriented, and I was all what year is it? So I agreed to support him in his attempt. There we were whispering in the front seat of the car about how we were going to convince our daughter to eat a pancake. If that is not the dumbest first world conversation. Other ones we've had in the past few weeks:
This iPhone is too heavy.
Someone was using my favorite treadmill this morning, so I was forced to use the stationary bike.
This refrigerator isn't big enough. Let's buy another one and put it in the garage.
So we're sitting there waiting for the server to bring us our food, and when he sets down Jon's plate Jon immediately mentions that he can't wait to eat his yummy pancake. I don't say anything because I want to gauge Leta's reaction, and it is exactly what I had expected it to be: "Pancakes are yucky!"
Yes, pancakes are yucky, puppies suck, and rainbows are boring. And the old part of me that gave up this battle a few years ago is starting to rumble a bit, and I have to bite my lip. Because I want to stand up and yell SO HELP ME GOD, KID. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ASKING YOU TO SEVER YOUR OWN ARM WITH A BUTTER KNIFE. But I remain calm and say, "Actually, Leta, pancakes are pretty good. They taste like cake."
And in turn she replies, "But cake is yucky, too!"
Jon and I ignore this obviously misinformed statement and continue to mention the yummy pancake for the next half hour, and occasionally he offers her a bite. She continues to refuse. Want a bite of a yummy pancake? No. How about now? No. Now? No. Mmmmmm, this yummy pancake is really yummy, would you like a bite? No. How about I grab it off the plate and aim it at your head like a frisbee? No. Are you even paying attention to me? No.
And this is where the teamwork, the united front comes in, because it suddenly occurs to me to tell her that the syrup tastes like candy, and right when I say that Jon nods furiously and suggests that she dip her finger in the syrup and touch that finger to her tongue. The mere mention of candy causes her to sit up straight, and for a second we both get the sense that she is trying to figure out if it's worth it to give in and let us win, especially if we're telling the truth. What if it does taste like candy? Wouldn't it be stupid to sit there with all that candy a few inches away, just to prove a point? And the voice inside my head is going HAND HER THE BUTTER KNIFE AND DEMAND THAT SHE REMOVE HER ARM.
So she gives us both this look, like, you guys are so cute, look how hard you've been trying. Just this once I'm going to indulge you, but don't say I didn't warn you! And I'm waiting for the bleaaaah and yuuuuuccck and moaning and wailing, and I'm holding my breath as she dips her finger in the syrup. And as she brings that finger to her mouth the overwhelming aroma of AWESOMENESS hits her tongue, and without even tasting the syrup she yells, "I LOVE IT."
What?
"I LOVE IT!"
Excuse me?
"I LOVE IT AND I WANT MY OWN. MY OWN PANCAKE."
I've never seen Jon move so fast, he was out of his chair running to find the server. And in the five minutes it took for him to bring Leta Her Own Pancake we sat there holding our breath, not looking at anything other than the table, afraid that if we moved at all that particles in the atmosphere would shift and she'd change her mind. She'd say something and we'd barely nod or shake our heads. Briefly I looked up and caught Jon's gaze, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing: that pancake would taste no where near as good as victory.
She ate every bite of that pancake, and she has eaten pancakes every single morning since then. It's the first thing she asks for in the morning, Her Own Pancake, and I don't think Jon has ever experienced more joy standing over the stove. Partly because she loves them so much, but mostly because I think he knows that I am now more willing to follow his lead in certain matters when it comes to our very unique daughter. Thank you, Jon, for expanding our daughter's diet from four to five things.
1. Bertie said:
For the last 15 years, me and my father go to the hot dog/sausage cart near his work instead of fancy lunches for my birthday lunch. It is the highlight of my day, something we both love and soemthing I will always miss when he's gone. So glad you can enjoy those moments with Leta.
2. Sarah said:
This slice of life post is exactly the reason I come to your site. Thank you.
3. Soulmoxie said:
ahh...the power of the pancake.
4. Jen said:
Ah the sweet sweet victory of a child trying something new! I must remember the candy bit.
5. Melissa said:
My nephew will eat anything with Ranch Dressing on it. It's often referred to as "White Ketchup" in thier house. Maybe you should go for French Toast next!
6. Linda said:
Nice to know that our daughter is not the only kid in the world who won't eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I too am baffled. Also, she won't eat cookies, the only candy she will eat is Hershey's plain chocolate bar.
Our doctor gave us the same advice, but I'm still waiting for it to kick in. She'll be 10 in Feb.
7. Anonymous said:
I have a soon to be 13 year old son that has survived on nothing but PB&J and Mac 'n Cheese. I gave up the fight.
I make it on whole wheat bread, with organic peanut butter and no sugar added jelly.
It makes me feel better.
8. esmith said:
wait 'til she figures out you can put STUFF in those pancakes...like chocolate chips. then it's gonna be on.
9. Betsy said:
Mmmmm. Pancakes. Will French toast be next? Or would that cause the world to explode?
10. Sadie said:
Hey, that's how it starts...four things become five. And maybe by the time she is fourteen she will even eat something green. Like Skittles. Baby steps.
11. Lola said:
I could go on and on about how I know *EXACTLY* what you are talking about but I will leave it at that.
Isn't it an awesome feeling? I've mouthed "Don't move" to my husband as we sit in shock while my 5 year old daughter tries a new food unexpectedly.
I would HIGHLY recommend the book "How to get your kid to eat but not too much" by Ellyn Satter. It is a fantastic book recommended by almost every Children's Hospital out there. Our experience (which actually brought our daughter to being tube fed - that is how little she would eat) improved greatly after we read it and employed its philosophy.
12. Carroll said:
Sweet success :-)
And, on the Furminator picture today...Having gone out and bought one a few weeks ago based solely on your earlier enthusiastic mention, I totally second your ringing endorsement of that product. Costs an arm and a leg, and I about gagged as I signed the receipt, but man, does that thing ever work. I think they *should* pay you (you know your word could sell at least scores, if not hundreds of anything) Maybe since you already own the product, a year's supply of dog food? Or a trip to the Bahamas??
13. Spatula said:
Woohoo to the parental victory. Next stop... heroin?
14. Priya said:
Go JON! he should write a book on "How to get Kids to eat what you want them to eat"
15. Katie said:
I love the Blue Plate Diner. Have you tried Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon? I think it's my favorite place in Salt Lake.
Plus, they have yummy candy syrup and raspberry jam with breakfast. Not to mention their mile-high fluffy biscuit. Although those may be to good to share.
16. Kelly Mae said:
My twin boys just started kindergarten this week and I found myself struggling to pack a lunch for one of my sons that will only eat the following: french fries (bad, I know), cheese, plain bread, and peanut butter. But God forbid I actually put the peanut butter ON the bread. I resisted my temptation to put a little tupperware full of peanut butter in his lunch.
Congratulations on the pancake victory!
17. sara said:
Oh man, between the pancake and getting her to do the gymnastics in a bus thing, Jon's going to start getting a little cocky about this whole parenting business.
But at least you've been right about everything else. :)
sara
18. Amber said:
There's this restaurant, if you can call it that, located in the south side of our town. It's housed in this tiny, one-room schoolhouse type building and it's called the Dinky Diner.
My dad and I have gone there since I was 4 or 5. They serve the best coconut cream pie on the planet. I've ordered the same thing for almost 20 years and it never tastes bad and the tenderloins are the size of a dinner plate.
I think it's great that you got her to eat pancakes. My dad is still trying to get me to eat eggs even though I'm in my 20s.
19. Andrea said:
Sometimes, Leta and the Armstrongs remind me of Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes fame) and his parents.
This is one such time.
Viva pancakes! Viva Leta!!
20. Kelly said:
The husband and I have had those exact moments. The moments where my head exploded because our oldest wouldn't try, oh, I don't know, a different kind of chocolate. Moments where we literally held our breath while he tasted something new.
Kids are a blast, aren't they?
21. Katie said:
I recently tried to give my son waffle sticks with syrup to dip them in. Also on his plate was green beans. He likes green beans. He claims he does not like waffles. He did, however, figure out to dip the green beans in the syrup and lick it off.
Sigh.
22. SAHM: Surviving Assorted Home Mayhem said:
So...what you're saying is Leta is picky? ;-) Yeah, our little guy (nearly two) has quite the limited menu as well and no, he won't eat a PB&J either. *sigh*
23. Anonymous said:
the mini pancakes they sell in the frozen section of the supermarket go over well in our household. Our 4 year old typically eats 8, and our 1 year old LOVES the smallness and can put down about 2. Just thought I'd throw that out there, for the mornings Jon isn't free to make them homemade.
24. jess said:
I might have to try this whole kid thing... :-)
25. Erica said:
Congratulations!
And your next post will be a collection of all the comments and e'mails from people telling you not to beat your child with wooden instruments, what are you, you child abusing monster person ... right? Because when I read that line my first thought was, "Dang! That's going to generate some serious e'mail from people who are STILL working on their senses of humor."
tee hee!
I wish Jon continued great success on the food introduction front.
26. SueR said:
Love the story! I have a niece who insists on being a vegetarian (she's 16) but since she doesn't like vegetables, her diet pretty much consists of grilled cheese. And candy.
Furminator--I have one for the dogs and one for the cats. Does great things on matted cats. I have turned more people on to the furminator than I can count!
27. Rachael said:
I love reading about Leta's eating habits; they remind me of my own as a kid as well as a child I have been babysitting since 2003, when she was 4 going on 5. Her diet then consisted of BUTTER. BACON. CHEESE. She even once told me, on one of those lazy dog days of August right before school started, "When I'm at school...I think about bacon."
She said this with a sigh, as if she were talking about her dreams and aspirations to become a world dictator.
As a child I was put off by anything that was made with care and order. I dissected sandwiches, picked at every salad and snubbed almost every piece of meat. I was the kid with the Weirdest. Lunches. Ever.
28. Colleen said:
My older brother lived on PB&J. Our pediatrician told my mom to go with it - he'd eat when he was hungry.
He didn't expand his menu of acceptable foods until he dated a foodie in college.
Leta's not doing so bad.
29. Carrie said:
This kid is a genius. The rest of us are out there telling our kids, "Not so much syrup! Here, you can only have this shotglass full!" And meanwhile Leta is all, I SUPPOSE I could eat a teensy bit more sugar-covered bread.
And believe me, if my kids ate like Leta, I'm sure I would be proselytizing the candilike nature of syrup too.
Oh, and I agree with Leta on one thing: Cake IS kind of yucky.
30. minxlj said:
Pancakes are truly awesome. I need to go and make some NOW
31. She Likes Purple said:
I was going to say the same thing as someone else, try adding chocolate chips! That'll be like Christmas! (Or maybe it's only like Christmas for me.)
32. Rick S. said:
Laughing so hard! Our 6-yr-old, Declan, still won't eat anything of substance but cheese pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches. You'd think constipation would begin to turn a young mind toward new possibilities, but...
This story made me want to dash home and find the maple syrup and beg my wife to teach me to make pancakes. I am definitely going to try this tactic the next time we have breakfast out!
33. Carley said:
Very cute! I'm glad she eats five different things now!
34. Brad said:
Awwww. Nice work, you two!
We've totally done this too... played the "just one bite, and you'll fall in love" card, and it does work. Sometimes. And sometimes they are just little devils for sport.
35. Sarie said:
Today's was exactly the kind of post that got me reading your site in the first place.
36. dawn said:
Ah the diet of toddlers and pre-schoolers. I love the whole "syrup tastes like candy thing." If only my kid liked candy--I know a 2 1/2 year old who doesn't like candy so much. Fruit snacks--no thank you. Sometimes he will only eat chips for breakfast.
It certainly makes for easy clean up.
37. kirida said:
this gives me hope that my kid will eat something more substantial than croutons.
38. Mackenzie said:
We may be from the same gene pool -- I love greasy spoon diners, and indeed, the dirtier the better. If you're ever out in Virginia I've got a couple of fantastic recommendations. And because it's Virginia smoking is still allowed; there's something strangely intoxicating about the smell of old grease and stale cigarette smoke.
39. the dalai mama said:
Hope reigns supreme that my kid will one day eat something other than muffins, cheetos, cheese burgers and apple juice.
The iPhone is a little heavy and you absoultely must have 2 fridges...doesn't everyone?
40. Kristine said:
Ah, the good ol' power of "well such-and-such tastes just like ___, you're really missing out". How I laughed and loved this story with every word! LOVED it! Can't wait until she's older (of course 21) and you're trying to convince her to try bourbon. Ha!
PS - I have a Powderpuff Chinese Crested who has more hair than a wooly mammouth and sheds like no one's business and she's half of Chuck's size. I bought the LARGE Furminator comb months ago and it's my favorite thing in the whole wide world. Well, ok my second favorite thing next to bourbon. I can now sit on the sofa in a black dress and not curse myself to hell for having a dog that sheds.
41. Chris said:
You guys are so cute.
42. Ashlea said:
Have you heard of this book? "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld? If not you should really check it out, I heard about it from a friend, immediately bought it, and it changed my life. I have a picky eater too (a 4 year old son) and now he is regularly eating cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and squash WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT. Seriously, I now recommend this book to every mom of a picky eater. Here is a link to it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Deceptively-Delicious-Simple-Secrets-Eating/dp/006...
43. Sarah said:
When I was 2, my mother had to chase me around the kitchen and SIT ON ME to get me to try apple pie. And she makes the best apple pie in the world. From scratch.
44. Red said:
Oh, I love this post! YAY for the Armstrongs. You and Jon are prefect for each other and perfect for your little Frog. :)
45. gingela5 said:
She sounds like me now. Only I actually don't even like syrup so I guess I'm pickier than a four year old : )
46. csquaredplus3 said:
That was great! I loved the description of not moving while waiting for the pancake. I know that horrible feeling - avoiding an inhale and an exhale, willing everything to be okay.
Glad Leta's enjoying pancakes. You and Jon are doing a great job!
Illustrated perfectly!
47. pac said:
Oh....my.....God. You mean I'm not the only one suffering with a 7 year old who will only eat about five to seven things, mostly breakfast cereal; well, and pb&j too - sorry? The tears are running down my face (well, it is ragweed season here in the midwest), from pure, unadulterated joy in knowing that I am not the only one suffering in food hell. I keep wondering "how long will this last"? Well, anyone, how long??????????
48. Hannah said:
My husband does this sort of thing to ME. (I'm 31.) For years, I would blithely state "oh, I won't eat X". So he would then sneak X into whatever foods he could to prove me wrong.
He's only ever failed with coconut and cilantro.
As for beating Leta with wooden implements, I agree, you must come to a consenus with Jon on which one to use. Does you no good if you turn up with a chopstick and he's brandishing a wooden meat tenderizer. You lose the edge.
49. Elizabeth said:
Um . . . I LOVE IT. And I want my own Dooce! BPFTW!
50. Ashleigh said:
This is why I come to to your site, day after day. Hysterical, just so much fun to read.
51. Becky said:
I love how you guys take advantage of everyday things to find new ways to love each other. Thanks for sharing your lives:).
52. kate said:
"We sat there holding our breath, not looking at anything other than the table, afraid that if we moved at all that particles in the atmosphere would shift and she'd change her mind."
Every one who has managed to live through parenting a 2-4 year old can relate to that; thank you so much for saying it out loud. Perfection.
53. Ris said:
When I was little I survived on dry Cheerios alone for about six months, no joke. I read stuff like this and want to hug my parents and apologize over and over again. Now I'm 24 and eat many varied and exotic things. It gets better!
54. Lauren said:
Victory! Congrats all around.
55. The Husband said:
Our seven-year-old eats chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, pop tarts, and manicotti. Therefore, whenever we want him to try anything Italian, we tell him that it has manicotti sauce on it.
It doesn't work.
56. Angela said:
SCORE!!!!! Ahhhhh.... the victories and thrills of parenting.
57. Undomestic Diva said:
Apparently I have the boy version of Leta, and he's got a rebuttal for every argument we pose.
The other night he said he was moving to grandma's. We tried to guilt him out of it by saying, "Wow. I'm going to be very sad and miss you sooooo much." To which he promptly replied, "Yeah, it will be hard, but you'll be OK."
Jesus.
58. amyz5 said:
nice story. hysterical as always (amazing how many uses we can find for that butter knife, self surgery is a new one)
but give me a break Heather, a pancake?!! that is a piece of... sorry too cliché.
call me when you get her to eat broccoli!
btw, my daughter (at 19) still refuses jelly with her peanut butter. i think it may be some sort of conspiracy.
59. Kizz said:
Nice work. Now I want pancakes, with butter and syrup and bacon, lots of bacon.
I was going to suggest that you place a pancake near the poor girl and then have Coco LOOK AT IT.
60. Alice said:
Good work! I hate the constant food struggle. My son has to be reconvinced about things he loves like pancakes, and even ice-cream. Let me tell you there is no bigger idiot than a mother trying to force her child to eat an ice-cream.
61. Blair said:
I would literally eat anything as a kid, with the odd exception of raw tomatoes. What was wrong with me? Are all kids as generally finicky as Leta, or are they exceptions?
62. Jack&Jill said:
Too funny. Gotta love the pancakes! I know you lived in LA...did you ever go to "The Griddle" in Hollywood? Giant fluffy pancakes stacked high with tons of different flavors. We got banana (the bananas were in the batter mix and on top) I have no affiliation to this place, I just went there this weekend and our jaws were on the table when the pancakes were placed in front of us...it is brought to you by the owner because she loves to see the reactions. Yummy...okay, now I'm hungry.
Side note: Furminator Rocks! - It is not kidding around, I also got the shampoo...
63. shelli said:
What are the other 4?
Malka's in "her beige period," right now - and we have discovered that she'll even eat EGGS if she can "dip dip" them in syrup.
I'm currently on a quest to see how well syrup and broccoli go together.
64. Anne said:
I was gonna recommend that book by Jessica Seinfeld too. I've only heard about it, but I've witnessed very picky children eating squash and carrots mixed into mac and cheese. They had no idea they were eating healthy food. Such a great trick!
65. Kritter Krit said:
"How about I grab it off the plate and aim it at your head like a frisbee."
GOT to be one of the best lines ever.
And now is where I pause to say count your blessings. (But not in the tacky way it sounds.) But seriously, at least she'll eat five things. It could always be worse. (You never tire of hearing that, right? ...And then hearing the "my daughter" stories that follow.) My daughter, who didn't learn to swallow due to severe dysphagia and reflux until very recently (and she's almost four), survives on a diet of milk and condiments. Ranch. Ketchup. Mustard. Sour cream.
Oh, and a Scooby Doo multi-vitamin. =)
66. Traci said:
I love it! We have the same battles w/ our 4 year old on an almost nightly basis. She eats chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and um...yeah that's it. Every morning -- mini pancakes. But the MUST be mini, not "regular" size.
I try to get her to sample new things, and normally that turns into a screaming match and I lose my mind. The other night she cried and wailed about not wanting to try roast beef. And then she tried it. And was all, "oh wow, this doesn't taste like dog shit."
I think she comes by it naturally. When I was a kid my dad made me sit at the dinner table for THREE HOURS because I refused to try fried rice. I had to sit there with a plate of cold fried rice in front of me. I never did try it.
67. Betty said:
My 4 yr old is on the same pancake road, but she actually doesn't even like the syrup.
She likes maybe 6 things.
pancakes. m&c. cheese pizza. oatmeal. apples.
Usually.
Every single day of preschool she has chicken noodle soup. Which I still puree (not the noodles) so she doesn't know there are, gasp, "vegables" in it... heaven forbid she finds a miniscule chunk of carrot, celery or onion.
Boy do I feel your pain/frustration/"whatever!!!"
68. JK said:
omg, i laughed so hard when i read this that coffee came out of my nose. i swear.
i have a 7 year old, and she WON'T EAT MACARONI AND CHEESE!!! I KNOW!! it's crazy. i mean, who doesn't like pasta and cheese?!
every time i get her to taste something different, i too experience that surge of excitement.
I love these kinds of posts--keep it up!
69. Eater's Regret said:
Ah Dooce, you poor poor child! Your heart must be broken trying to get her to eat things, I have to admire her stubbornness though! Gotta love a child that stands by her principles.
70. Anonymous said:
I remember the tweet about this. How exciting. My kid won't eat anything "good" like ice cream or chocolate or cookies. He whines for pineapple or grapes or fucking bananas...what a wussy.
71. Michele said:
I have to give myself props, because just before I read it, I thought to myself - let her try the syrup first.
But then, I have been at this for close to nine years now.
I am jealous though...greasy spoon diners are not allowed in my part of Connecticut.
72. Jennine said:
For years I've said that the sweet taste of victory is just like maple syrup with a hint of deep frier fat and a delicate ketchup reduction served on a butter knife while sitting in a pleather booth at a local diner.
Everyone just laughed at me. But you know the truth.
73. Court said:
Sadly, I also think cake is yucky. And I'm 27 years old. People keep asking me to try different versions -- and I do -- but I still hate it.
74. Susannah said:
thank you for this post! my 5-year-old son does not eat much of anything, and not in any predicable pattern, but he LOVES candy! thanks for making me laugh out loud and know I am not alone.
75. Shelah said:
Heather-
You lucky dog, you! I've been fighting the picky eating battle with #1 for more than eight years now and I have never, ever been able to convince him that anything he has already decided he doesn't want to eat is even remotely edible. Pineapple=poison, vanilla ice cream is vile (although strangely he will only eat chocolate shakes if they are made with vanilla ice cream-- he's infuriatingly idiosyncratic too). And when you said that you were going to try to get her to eat something new in a restaurant, I was waiting for a very public meltdown to ensue. We only do our halfhearted attempts at getting him to eat anything new at home, where no one has to watch him gag and no one can see the steam rising from my ears.
76. Stellare said:
Leta sounds like a 4 year old. Wait, she IS 4!!
77. Shalini said:
I love this story! I love that Leta is so unique.
78. Sensibly Sassy said:
Jon and Heather: 1
Leta: 5 Million
Nice of the little tyke to give you guys a victory.
79. Anonymous said:
Love your site... I don't have kids of my own (unless you count animals and you should) but I really enjoy reading about your trials with Leta. I still think she's a candidate for Asperger's Syndrome but even if she isn't, she's super fun.
Thanks for all the fun posts and keep up the great work!
80. Anna-Laura said:
i suggest getting her to try eggs by dousing scrambled eggs in syrup. my brother and i loved it as a kid, and i still have fond memories of drowning my scrambled eggs in syrup (we'd each eat about 4 eggs this way-- i think we were around 7-9).
i don't do it any more, of course, since i like the taste, but sometimes i'm tempted....
81. Katherine said:
Now that she'll eat them, I know you won't want to upset the very balance of the universe. HOWEVER, I can't let this post pass me by without mentioning that we only last month found the best pancake recipe in the entire world. It's been under our noses for 15 years, but we never tried it. The Buttermilk Pancakes in the Joy of Cooking -- the most basic cookbook -- are the best pancakes we have ever put in our mouths. They are SO SWEET and so much better than any other pancake I've ever had. I can't say enough about them. (Not the regular ones, the buttermilk ones.) Even if you can't get Leta to try them, by all means you and Jon should get right on it.
82. Shannon said:
I'm so glad Leta has learned to embrace the awesome divine power of the pancake. I mean, come on, they made a whole house of them that went international. It doesn't get much better than that.
In fact, my own two-year old daughter said her first prayer this week. What did she pray for? Pancakes.
83. Shaina said:
i'm 20 and still have major issues with food...i will eat a lot of things, now, but when i was little i once went a year eating mostly bologna and hot dogs (which now i can't stomach) and until i was a teenager i'd bring pb&j sandwiches with me when we went out to eat because there would be nothing on the menu i would eat. i dont eat vegetables. i don't eat red meat. i have issues trying ANYTHING new. i didnt eat plain pasta til i was 14, same with scrambled eggs.
good luck with Leta. my only word of advice (which i think you already probably know) is DONT MAKE A FUSS. to this day i have an easier time trying new things around people other than my family, because if i tried, oh, say, a pepper at home my parents would be all "LOOK! IT DIDNT KILL YOU!", etc. the more they bug me about it, the more my innate stubbornness makes me not want to try anything new ever again.
84. Melissa said:
As a parent isn't it amazing what we have to do to convince our kids to eat. I'm going to remember the "it tastes like candy" thing the next time we get to a sticking point.
85. Melissa said:
Have you read Cheese, Peas, and Chocolate Pudding? It's a kid's book that my mom used to love when she was little, and it's about a boy about as picky as Leta. They don't publish it any more that I know of, but it's online here: http://www.conigliofamily.com/Cheese.htm
You might get a kick out of it.
86. amy said:
This is hilarious because my 8 year old just jumped on the pancake bandwagon last week. Now she even eats them for dinner when last month, she wouldn't go near them. As for PB&J, she loves peanut butter sandwiches but wants no part of the jelly. How can you not want them together? What is she crazy? But I'm like you, I gave up this fight a long time ago. I can't figure out where she gets her sense of taste. She doesn't really like chicken fingers and fries but she will eat plate after plate of california rolls with steamed broccoli on the side. Now, I know I love sushi but she's been this way since she was 2. Oh well, its probably healthier for her.
87. Kperdue said:
First time I'm prompted to write . . . very funny post and any parent can relate! Thanks for the entertainment!
88. tea tree said:
Well, since we just graduated from weekly feeding therapy, I totally get this. It's a fucking pancake. CAKE, it's cake. And then when someone who has yet to breed SWEARS their future (perfect) child will eat whatever organic wholesomeness is put in front of them, I think see you on the frozen food aisle, buddy. See you there.
89. Jen said:
What a wonderful post. I was on the edge of my seat, Would Leta try the pancake, Would she actually like it? Thank you, Heather, for this bit of entertainment in my afternoon. You're hilarious.
90. Laura said:
HAHA @ #10! (I eat the green M&Ms first because I don't want them to feel left out or left behind).
Great story!
91. Twenty Four At Heart said:
Oh how you make me laugh! First of all, I WAS Leta once upon a time ... only to this DAY I won't eat pancakes, or any other breakfast foods. And I'm fine, really. I survived. I did have a daughter just like me ... and she is now 19, touring Europe and taking photos of men with the worst comb-overs in the world. She survived okay too. But I did almost pull my hair out at times raising her. Wonder where they get their strong will and independent nature from?! :)
I'm having a contest this week and there's a $50 prize. Come visit if you have a chance!
92. Angela said:
I absolutely love your Leta stories! I was picky like her when I was little, but I've grown out of a lot of that, now (I'm 25). I still don't like syrup, though. I eat my pancakes (and waffles) only with butter.
I don't have any kids yet, but my 6 year old nephew won't eat anything BROWN....and it's fun (for me since he's not my kid) to try to talk him into eating brown things. Haha!
93. Karin said:
I have an 80 yr old mother who reacts the same way. She is VERY hesistant about trying any new type of food, especially fast food that she has always been rather skeptical about in the first place versus home cooking. But when she takes the plunge and finally tries something new - well hey! it's her new found favorite. I now have her hooked on Auntie Anne's pretzel dogs and Pei Wei sweet and sour shrimp. Life is all about expanding those horizons!
94. Aimee said:
Wait...Syrup tastes like CANDY? BRB.
It's like you never know what's going to work. One day, reverse psychology seems like the way to go ("no, of course you don't want a pancake. No, in fact, I forbid you to eat one") and the next day, a direct approach does the trick. I guess part of their job is to keep you guessing.
95. Shannon said:
Heather, the whole way through reading that I felt like you were talking about my daughter. I know that its only after its over that it seems funny.
Julie is the same way, sooo difficult. She doesnt "wike" anything, so she says. If I can bribe her, or make it seem like I dont care if she eats or not then she does. She will eat it, and amazingly she doesnt despise it completely like she thinks that she does.
People always ask me if she a fussy or picky eater, and I say no, she is a reluctant eater. I never know when she will eat. She does eat well while in the tub, that's strange isnt it?
Its so nice to read about other peoples experiences and to know that I am not the only parent who struggles with this. Thank you.
96. rg said:
This whole raising children thing sounds complicated :)
97. secret.genius said:
good gracious. i was on the edge of my seat to find out whether Leta ate the pancake or not.
98. Christine said:
YAAAAAAAAAAAyyy! Pancakes! And the wooden spanking implement! And the armpit hair! This has been a red-letter week. What a good girl that Leta is.
99. shonda said:
As a weathered veteran in the Great Kiddie Wars, I applaud your victory. I am encouraged by the thought of it. Good for you!
101. Lovebuzz38 said:
I think she just felt sorry for you guys. You were trying so hard!
102. sarah said:
this IS progress! yippee!
Now, if you can make that pancake at home, with whole wheat flour, a couple of eggs and put fruit in it .. you have a super healthy breakfast. But .. go .. slooooooooowly!
103. hihorosie said:
Mmmm....I love pancakes too! Smart girl for saying "I love it and I WANT MY OWN!" Yes!
104. Anonymous said:
Woooo for pancakes - that was such a cute story.
I'm not lovin the daily Chuck picture tho. I know he is your baby and you would do anything and everything for him but it just reminds me of a horrible story that was in the news...
105. Jason said:
Blue Plate is LIFE! I actually saw you there once, but was too chicken to say anything.
106. Astrogirl426 said:
Yeh, what the hell is UP with kids today not eating yummy stuff like hot dogs and pancakes and watermelon? Hand to god, we have to BEG the Bunker Monkey to just PLEASE have ONE piece of watermelon, I swear it's good! In my day, we only turned down nasty food like brussels sprouts. Damn kids.
I have also given up on the mealtime fights. I try to make at least one thing I know he'll eat, and if he won't eat then he won't. It's not like the kid's gonna STARVE, anyway.
A couple things work for us, sometimes (and sometimes they don't): Racing daddy to see who eats all his food first (hey, I know the heimlich, I can handle choking, but to have to beg him ONE MORE TIME to eat a damn hot dog, is beyond my capacity); the "oh, this is GROW-UP food, not for LITTLE kids. I don't think you should eat it." ploy; and the "I'm going to eat your food! You better eat if before I do!" ploy. Hey, I never said I had any shame.
But then, he also likes to watch Blue Man Group, so I blame the husband for his faulty genes.
107. Anonymous said:
Hi...I don't think there is anything "wrong" with Leta. In fact, I have a son who is very much like her. I know you don't need parenting advice, but I found some solace in the Love and Logic series. After listening to the first CD, the hair that I had ripped out of my head in patches actually started growing back. Its not perfect, but at least I'm not trying to "fight" my kid anymore.
Thanks for the great stories!
108. andrea said:
Mmmmm...diners. I loved both Ruth's Diner and Blue Plate when we lived in SLC. My mouth is watering thinking about polenta benendict.
I can only imagine how excited you were to see that she added another food to her very short list of acceptable foods.
109. Abbe said:
As someone who would eat ONLY peanut butter sandwhiches, adding jelly only at the threat of punishment, for oh about the first 8 years of my eating life, I can only say, IS SHE NUTS?
But what I really want to say is that I love your writing, tone, sarcasm, humor and honesty. I really enjoy reading your blog.
110. The B said:
I'm emphathising with Leta here because I hate nothing but Marmite on toast (no butter), a few select raw vegetables, and plain potatoes, rice and pasta when I was her age. Oh and sweets, yes. I still have a hideous salt habit because nothing tasted of very much.
To reassure you, I now eat almost entirely normally and even sometimes find myself tutting when I see my friends pick their cucumber out of their sandwiches.
Along the way, though, I truly hated being made to eat things I didn't like, and could convince myself that they made me sick, and I think on some weird level most kids will know if they're not getting something they need in their diet. My mother had massive guilt attacks when my hair started periodically falling out and when I was as thin as a reed but apart from being fairly short I turned out fine, and I think she and you have the right approach: tempt, tease, persuade, but never force the kid to eat anything. If she won't, just figure it's her loss. I regret all those years I didn't eat all this delicious stuff I used to spurn, but I'd rather that than not have had the choice.
111. Jacmo said:
Yeah that. Substitute Peanut butter toast for pancake. Eating is one of the few things these little beings control. We all need to have choices.
112. Katie said:
Fantastic. Score one for the parents. Man, I haven't been to The Blue Plate in years...and I don't even know why, it's not like I live THAT far away.
113. Anonymous said:
Dang, now I want pancakes.
114. becky said:
am so jealous - The Blue Plate was featured on Food Network (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives)...you all are so lucky.
115. Megan Rae Whittaker said:
how the hell could anyone NOT like the pancakes there??
116. Amelia Sprout said:
Nice! I'm just going to sit here and take notes, because I fear we are raising one of those as well.
117. AG said:
MMmmmmmm, Pancake! Bring on the chocolate chips.
Heather, reading Dooce gave me soooo much courage to blog about my own depression caused by death in the family, my mother's nervous breakdown and my subsequent FAT ASS.
I'd love you to check it out.
www.100daysinbed.blogspot.com
118. Jessica M. said:
A Great Victory! As I was reading I was rooting for the two of you =).
Ps. Boyfriend is 26 - has never, and will never eat a PB&J. It's a sad thing.
119. Theresa said:
Mmmmmmm, buttermilk pancakes with bananas, blueberries and pecans cooked into them. So yummy you'll never eat syrup again. Just slather 'em with butter...........(sorry, had to wipe the drool off my chin)..... and chow down. And if you're lucky enough to have them at Blue Heaven in Key West, you'll want to move there immediately. But making them at home is a good alternative.
120. Moose said:
I remember the days when I refused to eat lasagna and cheesecake. A memory which always prompts "DEAR MOTHER OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, WHAT WAS I THINKING?"
I hope you and Jon are reveling in your parental mastery.
121. gigi said:
Fight the Power , Leta ! =)
122. Astrogirl426 said:
Oh, and re: the spoiled little girl comment, if that's the case, then every single kid on the planet is a spoiled brat, because I have never known a kid who didn't have SOME weird eating preference (only white foods....ketchup on everything...a strict diet if noodles and butter every day for two years...etc.) or other odd quirk (collecting scraps of paper; only wearing the color blue). As Emerson said, "Children are all foreigners."
Kids are weird little creatures, and the person who claims he or she can understand how their minds work is a lying bastard. :) Proof positive: My own bunker monkey is currently trying to lick my feet. It is August. It is hot. I have been in sneakers all day. He doesn't care (freak). His favorite thing to do is also to stick his fingers up into your armpits. "No pits!" is a well-known refrain in this house.
Now back to the program at hand.
123. Julie said:
Aw that's cute. Leta has huge personality.
124. Jennifer said:
That was the funniest thing I've ever read.
My daughter was exactly the same way when she was little. She would eat chicken nuggets, pasta with butter and apple sauce. And like you, I didn't fight it because I knew some day she would broaden her horizons and try new stuff. She is now 12 years old and will try just about anything we put in front of her. Her current favorite is guacamole and pico de gallo. I'm not even kidding. She begs me for it. And I move like my ass is on fire to get it for her before she decides she doesn't want it anymore.
125. ana said:
my step daughter doesn't like to eat peanut butter because it gets stuck in her throat. she won't eat hamburger, but she'll eat steak. she'll eat many more things than any other 4 year-old i know: goat cheese, sushi (only tuna), asparagus, etc. but to get her to even try a bell pepper was a big argument. kids are funny about food.
my favorite story about my little sister and food: we're eating ham. she tries it. she says: this is the BEST thing i've EVER eaten, what is it made out of? mom replies: pork, it is made from a pig. sister says: i am NEVER eating that again! (didn't help that she just read charlotte's web.)
126. BiteMyPillow said:
If that were my sister she'd be eating the pancake with ketchup.
She's 23.
127. houndrat said:
I still think throwing the pancake at her head like a Frisbee would have been just as much fun.
My son LOVES pancakes as well, and usually uses about five pats of butter per cake. At least it's one meal that has absolutely no association with ketchup.
128. Christi said:
For some reason this almost made me cry. Could it be the kid sitting next to me that will not eat anything besides chicken nuggets, grapes and honey mustard? I'm not sure. Maybe it's the other kid sitting here that can't eat anything mushy, or if it has touched another food on his plate. We constantly wait for Mars and Venus to align and all to be right with our world. Ain't motherhood grand? If I didn't love them so much, I'd throw them both out the window. Peace out...
129. Graygirl said:
oh.....too funny! My youngest son was the same exact way. They used to give him awards in pre-school for trying a teeny tiny taste of something new. He was so picky and he wouldn't eat ANYTHING!!!! I worried at first but the kid was the healthiest one of my three!!!! He now (22 yrs old) is a strapping 6' and eats just about everything....mind you he still can be picky but nowhere near as bad as his youth. Good for you....you've got to pick your battles when raising kids or you will go crazy with guilt and worry over every little thing. Been there, done that! Let me know if you need help smacking all those that are going to tell you how wrong you are......
ps: Did I use enough exclamation points????
130. Marianne said:
As I kid, I lived mostly on pancakes, chicken fingers and fries, and plain spaghetti. The battle over vegetables or unusual foods only made me and my parents miserable. Now I'm in my 20s and happily eat pretty much anything! There is hope!
131. Lauren said:
OMG. I almost just spit my coffee all over my computer screen and keyboard I was laughing so hard. Congrats on your major victory!
132. Beth said:
I love how you brought it back around to the connection between a dad and his daughter (you and your dad, Leta and Jon). Very nicely done. It's so cool that you guys raise her truly together, and give the lie to that old tired stereotype of the uninvolved, incompetent dad.
Also, I show my 13-month-old son Chuck's and Coco's pictures every day; his first word was "dog," and he loves any dog he can see. He finds Chuck especially to be a fine example of the species.
133. Amy said:
Congratulations to you both, and congratulations to Leta, for outwitting the parents again! (I think she secretly KNOWS that pancakes are awesome, she just wants you to work for it) She should be on Survivor some day, or President...the President that eats pancakes with other heads of state! My daughter is a picky eater too, not in the "I hate that way", but in the "I will sit here for 3 hours and do everything but eat" way. We have got her to try new food over the years by telling her she can't eat it because she is just a girl...man, that gets her fired up and she will eat anything just to prove us wrong!
134. lisa said:
yeah! love the candy idea! pure genius!
i gave up on fighting about food, too. it was making me a very angry person. and for what reason? food? there are other things to worry about.
my daughter will be 13 next month and just the other day out of the blue she asked me if she could try my salmon! i about fell off my seat. she loved it!
have fun with leta. the journey makes it all worth while.
135. Anna said:
As a small child, I was a picky eater, too. My mother and I would have Aquarian standoffs across the kitchen table as she insisted that I try things, and I refused. I could usually wait her out -- as soon as she left the room, I ran to the bathroom and flushed down anything that would fit.
I only wanted to eat cheese omelettes or toast or anything from McDonalds.
So, my mother decided to stop trying to force me to eat other things. Instead, she would only make me toast and/or cheese omelettes. PERFECT. Occasionally, I could even get her to buy me McDonalds food. One day, she bought me a book, Bread and Jam for Frances. And then she read it to me, religiously.
It was the story of a cute little furry animal that only wanted to eat bread and jam -- and her mother was quietly using psychology on Frances to get her to try new food. In the book, it eventually works. In my real life, I thought it was very cute of my mother to think it would work.
As an adult, I am the one who will eat anything once and she is the one that turns her nose up (and makes faces and nearly yells out ala Leta) when it is suggested that she try something new, say sushi or fish.
136. Emily said:
You are so hilarious. And sometimes you actually make me want to have kids, which is quite a feat. But you manage to make somewhat normal kid stories engaging and interesting and you don't seem like robotic shells of parent-people like most parents. So, yeah - stop making me want kids. They are drooly and poop and change your life so that you have to be responsible. :)
137. Teri said:
As a child, I was a lot like Leta about eating. My mother gave up and made something separate for me most nights. This too shall pass. I really found things to be difficult to eat then though--I think some kids have stronger taste buds. That, and a devilish independent streak.
138. mss @ Zanthan Gardens said:
Three cheers for you!!! I'm so happy for your success. You are making slow but steady progress.
BTW I'm still laughing about the "I love the tumble bus." In our household that has become the code phrase for my reluctant willingness to try something new. I'll give my husband a dubious look and then if it doesn't turn out as bad as I expected, I'll turn to him and say, "I LOOOVE the tumble bus."
And I'm a LOT older than Leta.
139. Beth said:
My children are 9 and 6.5 and they won't eat MASHED POTATOES. What kid doesn't like MASHED POTATOES? I mean, really! i also dissemble tacos into a mess that I proudly call "Princess Nachos,' and my 6.5-year-old eats them up and wants more! I love it when I totally outsmart a 6-year-old!!
140. Lynnie said:
Many years have passed since my son was little, and while not too finicky, he knew which vegetables weren't his favorites, like spinach, squash and mushrooms. "Cream of Yummy" soup soon became a favorite at our house, and he was never the wiser!
141. Jenn said:
It took us two years to get our youngest (4) to try a waffle. We asked her when she was 3 when she would try it - she said "When I'm older." So my husband got the bright idea of asking her the day after her birthday: "So, you're older, is it time to try a waffle?"
She's had an eggo about every other day since then. (Don't even get me started on why she won't try peanut butter, cake or cookies. But candy - hells yeah.)
142. misguided mommy said:
and here i am begging my kid to just please this one meal eat something that isnt a pancake. every fucking meal all i hear is I WANT PANCAKE PANCAKE PANCAKE. Sometimes the little shit changes it up and requests a pancake with syrup and cream (whipped cream) But DO NOT mix his whipped cream or the whole world will fucking explode.
Fucking pancakes.
143. Jenn Astle said:
For about four years of my life I would only eat chocolate and things made from chocolate. Have you ever tried good old fashioned reverse psychology?
Your blog is fantastic.
Jenn
144. SarahHub @ Oakbriar Farm said:
Yahoo! Victory tastes great!
Seriously, thanks for this post. I need a reminder sometimes that I am not in control of my daughter's food choices. I can put the food on a plate, but I can't force her to eat it.
My child is eighteen months old and doesn't quite weigh 20 pounds. She did once, barely, but then she had a cold, and she hasn't made it back yet. Her tiny size has made me to total maniac. "Evie, would you like more butter?"
145. Lauren S. said:
I'm assuming since you have a gazillion readers that someone has already recommended Jessica Seinfeld's book "Deceptively Delicious". I highly recommend this book!
From the website (www.deceptivelydelicious.com) Jessica Seinfeld, like many busy parents, struggled to get her three kids to eat healthily. After much trial-and-error — and many mealtime battles — she discovered a foolproof system: delicious and easy-to-make stealth recipes that sneak in puréed veggies so kids will never suspect the foods they love are actually good for them!
So feed her all the chicken nuggets and ketchup she wants but hide the "good for you stuff" inside! Brilliant!
146. Ariel said:
This is hands down the funniest thing I have ever read on this website. And YOU lady, are funny.
147. Sarah Lyons said:
My EIGHT YEAR OLD daughter will still only eat 6 things. Eggo chocolate chip waffles, chicken nuggets, bacon, Easy Mac, meatballs, and stuffed manacotti. Oh, and the chicken nuggets dipped in BLUE CHEESE DRESSING. Will she eat spaghetti with her meatballs? No. Spaghetti and sauce are the exactly same tastes as manacotti (and much plainer), but will she eat them? Absolutly NOT. Will she eat any other type of macaroni and cheese? Nope, only Easy Mac. I gave up trying long ago. She will come to new things on her own. Like just the other day, out of the blue when she looked at the steak on my plate and said she wanted some. Now she wants steak for every meal. Darn expensive, but hey, we're up to 7 things she'll eat.
148. Cee said:
I was Leta at that age (for several years all I ate were apples, peanut butter and fries). My parents tried and tried, resulting in many arguments and tears, but when they finally stopped pushing me, I began trying new things on my own. I'm grateful for their approach, because at that age I was too young to explain my sensory issues - some foods just "felt" wrong in my mouth, and I would literally gag. If they had pushed any harder, I'm sure I would have ended up with severe eating issues. But I managed to survive to my twenties, and now I eat almost everything.
Almost. :)
149. Ron said:
Heh. My 5 year old son wouldn't touch peanut butter and jelly. I tried to explain to him that this was un-American, un-natural, and downright insane - but all to no avail. Until a couple of months ago that is. One day I came downstairs to find him sitting in front of the tv, watching the battle scene from the Narnia movie (over, and over, and over) with a whole loaf of bread, an open jar of peanut butter, and the now empty jar of jelly! I wasn't even upset that about half of the jelly was on the living room rug (until I realized I'd have to tell my wife about the rug).
150. samantha said:
so i don't know if i'm just emotional or what, but i totally teared up reading that. yay for leta, pancakes ARE yummy! hooray!
151. Jennie said:
Mom and Dad 1pt.
Kiddos 503,564 pts.
Our daughter is 5 and still believes we are trying to poison her with Maple Syrup. Maybe Leta could help with that now? Getting to read your blog makes being a stay-at-home mom worthwhile. (oh and also the love of my children and such)
152. Cee said:
I also wanted to add, I think it's important for parents to realize that kids can have genuine dislikes, too. I never ate beef as a kid, I still won't. It just tastes bad to me. And that's not me being bratty on purpose, I just don't like it! Kids should have the same freedom to develop their own likes and dislikes.
153. Adriana in AZ said:
I wish I could just shut up, let go and let my wise hubby lead every so often.
You are awesome Heather. Thanks for sharing this and congratulations!
154. bibliogrrl said:
@Beth - who doesn't like mashed potatoes? MY MOM. She will not eat them. Or beans. Or peas.
My dad doesn't like angel hair pasta.
I think that their food quirks made them tolerant of mine. When I was 4 or 5, something occurred between me and a hamburger, no one can remember what, and I haven't eaten one since.
I'm 35 now.
Steak? FINE. But I don't eat any ground meat, sausage, I'm even kind of suspicious of couscous. It's all about the texture. I've accidentally eaten things with ground meat in it since then, and IMMEDIATELY known, and been completely grossed out.
I also don't like things with small bones, or baby corn.
But I've rarely met a vegetable I didn't like (see above for notable exception) and could not live without bacon. :D
You're doing FINE.
(and anon #100 is a douchewaffle. Leta is so not spoiled. Leta is AWESOME.)
155. Skylar said:
I totally second comment mentioning "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld. It is a fantastic book and you could be hiding all sort of things in her pancakes. My husband puts strawberries in our pancakes, they pretty much melt away but the pancakes are a lovely pink shade. PINK, she would love pink pancakes!!! Good Luck
156. Kristan said:
Hey, one new food per year on average! That's not so bad. By the time she has a kid of her own, she'll probably know about thirty good things to feed it! And don't you just hope she will only be able to average one new food every TWO years with hers? :P
I might suggest prioritizing though. Next up should be SCALLOPS, because SCALLOPS are GREAT. (Hence all the capitals.)
157. Smilf said:
HA! The trials and tribulations of trying to get children to eat. Ugh. I am sure I lived on spaghettios with hot dogs in them and pizza for 3 years straight as a child. I turned out okay. (That is up for debate still of course).
158. Barb said:
Only a mom who has just yelled, "No, you have to eat all your hotdog before you get a poptart," would even have the understanding that it takes for these kinds of kids.
159. Jamie AZ said:
Yeah for pancakes! Kids and their eating habits can have no real rhyme or reason sometimes, but it's such a thrill to have these victories.
160. Beth said:
Could Jon please come to my house and convince my daughter that PB&J sandwiches are not the work of the devil? Or that applesauce actually does taste like apples (which she will eat) or that Oatmeal is not just for babies, or other meat besides Turkey lunch meat can also be appetizing? Maybe please?
161. Sara said:
Oh dear Lord I cannot stop laughing. I cannot begin to tell you how much I understand your frustration. I was The Pickiest Eater On The Face Of The Planet as a child. My dietary horizons have broadened by about a million percent since then. But so help me God, my 2 y/o daughter must have inherited the gene. Her father would rather eat a platter of celery, broccoli, and carrots PLAIN, without ranch! just the vegetables themselves! instead of a brownie, or candy, or sugar on a spoon. Why couldn't she have inherited THAT gene?! WHY GOD WHY?!
There was one time, a few months ago, when she voluntarily consumed green beans. Dipped in ketchup. Until she figured out she was eating green beans.
The child lives off of fruit and CHEEEEEETH! "IwanCHEEEEEETH!", every five freaking seconds of every day.
I do have an amazing pancake recipe that involves applesauce, yogurt, dry oatmeal, and whole wheat flour. She loves it. It took her a while to even try them though. B/c it wasn't fruit or CHEETH! But I dread the day she is old enough to watch me make the batter. It's not exactly a pretty thing pre-cooked. That day will be the day Mom's Picky Gene fully kicks in and she will declare that simply b/c of the way it looks, she hates it.
Oh, and she sometimes, depending on the weather and her hormone levels that day, will eat crumbled chicken breast drowned in Kraft BBQ sauce.
So I applaud you, fellow mother of a Picky Eater. May Leta ask for a pancake and syrup every day for the rest of her life, as testament to the one battle you and Jon won. :)
162. kri said:
This is by far one of the funniest things I have ever read. Congratulations to you, Jon, and your wild pancake success.
163. Jen said:
My son is the exact same way. He's almost seven and has never touched a hamburger, a piece of pizza or a chicken nugget that wasn't shaped a specific way. He eats two pb&j sandwiches every. single. day. and he's healthy. If you sneak some wheat germ into the pancake mix (we call it 'flavoring') Leta will get some extra Vitamin E she didn't even notice!
164. Jules said:
Sometimes when you're in these bizarre situations with your kid(s) do you ever have an out-of-body experience and ask yourself "What the hell am I doing?"
Maybe it's just me.
165. Eater's Regret said:
Ok she doesn't have Aspergers ffs! She is just a normal child with some quirky eating habits, why must people feel the need to diagnose her! My cousin only ate mini sausages and potato chips till he was 15, does he have Aspergers too? My boyfriend hates cucumber, snap! He must have it too!
This need to diagnose and analyse people is such a ridiculous trait, and forgive me for saying so, a very American trait. Kids need the freedom to express themselves however they wish, without some amateur psychiatrists giving their 2 cents. Leta seems to have a real sparky personality, with lots of intelligence and humour and a dash of stubbornness too. What exactly is wrong with that? Rock on baby, you're only a kid once!
166. Kristin said:
Don't worry. I was a picky eater as a kid too. My mom tells me many many times how she and my dad got thisclose to getting divorced because of my eating habits.
now, as an adult, i am an adventurous eater. ill try anything at least once. i didn't get like that though until i hit my late teens. hopefully leta won't wait that long to try sushi.
167. Bess said:
Hooray for small victories!!
When I was a kid, instead of putting maple syrup on my pancakes, I preferred sugar and cream. Butter the pancake, sprinkle on a generous teaspoon of sugar, and pour a little cream or milk over the top. The rest of my family were normal maple syrup people, and I must agree that maple syrup is pure distilled awesomeness, but for some mysterious reason I never liked it on my pancakes. (Today I usually eat my pancakes with a little butter, maybe with a wee bit of syrup on the side.)
168. emily eakes said:
i had a kid who didn't like hot dogs!
although as he gets older he gets (slightly) more adventurous - i was eating sushi one time and asked if he would like to try a "california roll" and he was all - YEAH!!! and he put it in his mouth and barely made it to the sink before his gag reflex took control!
in hind sight i know he was thinking, "i love california and i love bread - i bet i'll love a california roll!" :)
169. Lori said:
People that made me laugh today:
#79: Doesn’t have kids, has never spent any time with Leta, yet capable of diagnosing autism over the Internet. Thinks Leta is “super fun” EVEN IF SHE DOESN’T HAVE ASPBERGER’S!
#100: Did you have to read all 99 comments before yours to come to the conclusion that Leta is not at all unique in this situation? She is a typical, 4-year-old picky eater and that’s what’s funny about the story, the ridiculousness and relatability of it. And who “worked” whom…she ultimately ate the damn pancake, didn’t she? If she knew how to “work” her parents, she would’ve left the diner fifty bucks richer.
170. jenni.mystery said:
I have to warn you about refrigerator in the garage. If the garage is colder than the freezer, it will stop working and you'll lose everything. At least with an older refrigerator. But it is so fun to have the extra storage.
171. Kristine said:
Ohhh, I loved that bit about when you were waiting for the pancake to come. I've sat there just as tense, not even glimpsing at my toddler at times when I know my indirect eye contact (there could be a mirror!) could upset world order.
172. John 3 said:
Until this day I can not stand to eat a peanut butter sandwhich especially with jelly on it. So long live this kid and the crazy eating habits we grow to love!!!!
173. Jill Shalvis said:
My child is the Queen Of Picky. She eats TWO things. Salami and cheese. God forbid we put it on bread.
Good to know I'm not alone.
174. jana said:
Oh, this entry was painful for me to read, because my two-year-old is showing definite signs of turning out to be this child. I could see her saying "cake is yucky" without even imagining too hard. I'll start practicing my deep breathing tactics now.
175. Barb said:
It's good at least that she thinks it's ok to change her mind like that and isn't stuck on that, "I was right" thing. Go Leta!
176. Ellen said:
Has she tried chocolate chip pancakes yet?
177. Janet said:
Ooooh. Just wait til you figure out just what you can "hide" in homemade pancakes. -- Make sure whatever it is is finely finely chopped.
178. the mighty jimbo said:
let me know when you need help with tofu, raw fish, and soy milk.
i've had to convince half the people in my own family to sign on to these over the years, and, for the most part, i've been reasonably successful.
179. That Sneaker Wearing Entrepreneurial Cartoonist Internet Guy said:
Okay, I'm the dad in this situation and our daughter will not, in no uncertain terms, come near, breath or even taste ketchup. She'll darn sure put salsa on her spaghetti but refuses to eat a fry that has touched catsup.
Why do I even care? I really don't. I gave up trying to get her to even taste it. But there are those days I just want to scream at the top of my lungs, "EVERY KID IN THE WORLD LIKES KETCHUP! EAT IT YOU LITTLE %$#&"!
180. Jeff said:
I have tears in my eyes reading this, just because it hits WAY too close to home.
...But you're going to get 327,000 emails about beating your child with wooden objects. Wait, ok, just one wooden object. Because THAT was the point.
181. Karen said:
I was on the edge of my seat ... would the particles of the universe shift? Will. She. Eat. The. Pancake. ?. ?. O.M.G. where's the freakin' Bisquick?! We're havin' pancakes for dinner!! My already "enviable" waistline hates you ... who cares! It's pancakes. With butter. Real syrup. Cups of syrup that taste like candy. My life is not like yours ... I needed to be on the edge of my seat over a flippin' pancake. Thank. You.
182. kat