It's called parenting

Today I had a lesson in parenting. Lately I've had a lot of lessons in parenting, but today's lesson just proved to me how important it is to "Parent" our children. I can not tolerate the lack of parenting in this country. Makes me ill! I also can not tolerate wasting food or wasting my time.

This morning Jake didn't want the normal breakfast options he has. So, being that it was Friday and we didn't have to rush off to school. I figured I'd make him just about anything he wanted. He said he wanted a grilled cheese sandwich. Easy enough! So I made him a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. (Basic sandwich but made in the sandwich presser thing that make it look fancy). Normally this is a hit. But after two bites this morning he decided he didn't' want it.

No problem, you can eat it later I said. Tears instantly. "But I don't like it, I don't want it". Truth be told he was mad that we told him he couldn't eat in the living room. Why this request was made by him is beyond me. We don't eat in the living room.  By 10:00 he was hungry. I told him he could eat the sandwich. More tears, more screaming, more drama. I ignored it and was doing laundry at the back of the house. I came back into the kitchen and didn't notice anything out of place. Jake was watching TV in the living room, seemed to be calmed down. Then he said, "I didn't do nothing". He he little stinker still doesn't know how to play it cool. I looked, his sandwich is gone. I asked him if he ate it. Nope, he put it in the trash and told me he put it in the trash.

I calmly told him to go get it out of the trash. That we do not throw away food. He screamed, yelled, told me no. I turned off the TV, walked him to the trash can, opened the lid and because it was a brand new trash bag and nothing in there but his sandwich, I had to pull the bag up to the top of the can. (it's an extra tall trash can, he'd never be able to reach the bottom). More tears, more screaming, but the sandwich was back on the table. I sent him to his room, told him he could come out when he was able to be nice, not cry and eat his sandwich. Many tears, screaming, an occasional thrown toy and finally about 25 minutes later he came out. Proclaimed, "I'm ready to eat my sandwich now mommy". He was smiling, happy and joking as he climbed into his seat. I asked, "how's the sandwich big guy". He said, "It's nummy, thanks mommy". I was floored. As i'm typing this, he's finishing up his "nummy" sandwich, and he's telling me he loves me. He's happy as can be. I hate when he cries and tantrums and things turn into such a wreck. It makes me rehash all that I did to see if I could have handled it better. Seeing his attitude change and watching him happily eat his sandwich just made my morning. I know he learned a good lesson. All those tears, both his and mine, were not cried for nothing!

Comments

[LeAnna]

This is such a TOUGH stage isn't it! AGGHHH! But we must hold our stance and show them that crying and screaming won't get them their way.

I feel your pain!

[tracey]

Good for you. It's hard to fight the food battle. And it never seems to end...

[StorkWatcher]

This post couldn'thave been read at a better time!

I was just thinking this morning about posting our our little guy's recent meltdowns and how I might have handled them differently.

[Karen J]

Good for you! (and Jake!)

[Tina]

Well I for one glad that we are all different but I honestly don't know how to handle my little one's meltdown sometimes. Parenting is challenging. It's like you get prepared for everything else in life except the stuff that really matters like relationships and being parents. Gosh...