Fernley, NV. Stop-over on our Thanksgiving road trip to Napa
So ya, like I mentioned yesterday, I'm not doing very well on my resolution to drink less during the week. I'll get there eventually. But I am doing really well on one of my other resolutions and implementing it has already changed our evenings together as a family. This is probably a no-brainer for some of you moms reading this, so go easy on me!
Eating dinner together as a family has revolutionized what Alice will eat!
I know. I know. It's not rocket science that a kid who sees her parents eat something will most likely be encouraged to eat that something, too, but we'd gotten into the habit of making dinner for ourselves after we put her to bed so that we could enjoy eating together without juggling a squealing baby. So that's what we've done for the better part of two years! I'd make something for dinner for Alice (which was sometimes the same but was oftentimes different from what we'd planned to eat) and then we'd stand around and watch her eat or not eat it, which resulted in a lot of frustration on my part and a lot of uneaten food on her part.
A few weeks back we were at a play date with a little boy who is just a few months older than Alice. We were nearing dinner time and, as we were leaving, I asked his mom for new ideas on what to feed my kid. And she said, "He eats what we eat for dinner! And if he doesn't eat what I'm serving, then he'll just be hungry!"
Her response stuck with me and was part of the inspiration for my resolution to eat dinner together as a family. We started doing it while we were with my in-laws in Canada and Alice was a champ on most nights with what she ate for dinner (in interest of full disclosure, though, for many of those dinners, she sat on MY lap rather than in HER chair but at least she was trying new things). And since we've been home, her adventurous eating has continued with things like vegetable coconut curry with quinoa and (my new favorite breakfast!!) chia seed + coconut milk oatmeal.
It is amazing how proud I feel of my kid when I watch her trying and then liking something new.
Happy weekend! What are your plans?
Weekly workouts: Monday - Travel day! Tuesday - Run! 9.2 miles/1:23/973-ft gain. Wednesday - CrossFit! Find 1-rep max for power clean (135lbs), then 200 calorie row (14:27). Thursday - CrossFit! 6 rounds of 3 back squats (I just did the 35lbs bar but had NO HIP FLEXOR PAIN!) + 5 box jumps (20"), then 10 minute AMRAP of 6 burpees + 10 overhead lunges w/ 25lbs plate (9 rounds). Friday - CrossFit! Bench press at 80% x 25 reps (85lbs) + Bent over rows (45lbs), then 3 rounds for time of 10 dead lifts (135lbs) + 15 dips (red band) + 20 knees-to-elbows.
Briana, I can totally relate! My son is two and a half, and our new year's resolution is to eat more dinners as a family at the dinner table. And not just any dinner, but home-cooked meals instead of frozen lasagna or one of Annie's mac and cheese options. We've been averaging about five dinners at home, which is great, but there are some night where my son refuses to eat what we're eating (we're trying to stick to that philosophy, too). So my husband and I will be eating a delicious meal (meatballs and spaghetti, roasted chicken and salad) and my son will demand CEREAL. I can't bear to let him go hungry, so the deal is he can have his cereal but he has to stay at the dinner table with us. So I hear ya! It is an ongoing battle, but so worth it I think, to eat as family as many nights a week.
ReplyDeleteI wish we could eat together more often, James just doesn't get home early enough. I will say W is pretty good. He cycles through phases of being more and less picky (right now he's sick and a total pain). Mostly he does eat what we eat and then I warm it back up for us later. But I now realize that my cooking is specific and he can be fussy out at other people's house's. I'm not sure how things we evolve as he gets older. Family meals are so nice , but unless the kids are old enough for dinner at 8pm, might not be possible for us. Glad it's working for you guys! Oh... and I actually am super strict about staying seated!
ReplyDeleteIt's the same in our house. Our kids eat what we eat. Occasionally I'll provide an alternative when the meal has several major components of things I know they dislike. Or I will make sure when we make something that they like. Katrina loves broccoli so we eat it at least 3 or 4 days a week because she will eat it. Lillian likes veggies, so we make extra veggies with the broccoli for her. Or when she won't eat meat, we make chicken fingers or meat balls on the side, so she gets enough.
ReplyDeleteI have often been surprised by what my girls will eat that I never thought they would. They tried Risotto on Monday and Tofu Tacos on Tuesday and cauliflower soup with foccasia on Thursday. The soup as a bust but they loved the bread!
I also find that having them help cook or prepare food makes a huge difference. If they get to help pick whats for dinner or prepare something I find they are happy to try it.
Good luck, and know that there will be days where she'll scream and NOT take a bit, and then the next day try everything! Our rule is "You don't have to like it but you have to taste everything!" and we stick to that. One bite and they don't like it, they don't have to eat anymore today.
We are of the "you eat what we eat or you will be hungry" mantra about 90% of the time, and the other time we will let them choose what veggie they want (cucumbers and celery are big around here right now) but they have to at least taste everything on their plate. Milo has been raised this way and he is a pretty good eater. We eat dinner together every night unless Andrew is teaching late, then I feed the kids early and wait for him.
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