Here’s what I think Real Moms do…
Tori tagged me for this new meme…
Here’s how it works: Put up a post “Real Moms [insert what you do here]“, followed by an explanation , a picture, and a “Real Moms. Making ….”. Then tag five people.
I looked through recent Flickr photos hoping to find some inspiration for this meme, and I did. I decided to use photos of Kaitlyn to illustrate what I mean when I say…
Real Moms pick their battles. Kaitlyn, at 16 months, wants to feed herself. She pretty much insists on it. And I have decided that even though she makes an unbelievable mess while doing it, she is willing to eat pretty much anything as long as I leave her alone to figure out how to get it into her mouth by herself. This is her eating her absolutely favorite treat, a Fruit and Yogurt Parfait from McDonald’s. She even eats the strawberries and blueberries.
Interestingly, my husband can hardly stand to look at her when she is doing this. She has to sit next to me at dinner if she is going to feed herself, because he hates seeing the food smeared all over her face. But it doesn’t bother me. I’m happy she is eating. We have given her all kinds of foods and she has never refused to eat anything. If she has to make a mess to do that, then that is okay with me.
There are much more important battles to pick, like keeping her from eating the cat food or splashing her hands in the toilet, so a mess at mealtime is one thing I’m not going to fight her on.
Real Moms. Making Choices that work for everybody.
I’m tagging Chantal, Dawn, Gidge, Carmen and Dana.
I love it! I too choose my battles…things that seemed important with the first child don’t seem as important with 4 kids!
Oooh. Good one!
I’ll have to think about this one, cause right now all I can come up with is “Real Moms get drunk after their kids go to sleep.”
sooo cute! I wish the dad in my house would learn to pick his battles.
This is SUCH an important thing for parents to remember, I think! (and great pictures. I have a similar one of Opie eating blueberries yogurt. huge mess)
Oh! I was totally oblivious to my name down there! I’ll do it! Sounds like fun!
I think real moms have a very tough job, although I don’t qualify!
OMG she looks so much like you - this picture made me really notice it for the first time. Except you don’t smear food all over your face, as far as I know.
I totally agree. It’s easier (and takes less overall time) to just sigh and clean it up when they are done then to fight them through it.
And real moms pick their battles every day. And, sometimes, they pick their battles all day long. Because better to pick the battles than wave the white flag.
Ahhh, yes. Picking my battles is a lesson I’m learning. Does that mean I’m becoming more real??? Yippee!
Awww…how cute! My husband is the same way. Seeing food all over P’s hands and face totally grosses him out when he’s trying to eat.
I love those parfaits. I think it’s kind of hilarious that your husband can’t bear to watch. I would probably be the same way at first, but if she is indeed willing to eat a variety of foods I guess it’s worth it.
Cute photo! And, you are right—Who cares what kind of mess they make as long as they are eating!
What a great shot. I love it that you’re letting her experience dinner!
Bang on.. I got tagged for this and whoa the competiton for a good response is tough!
She’s adorable, messy or not!
I think she looks great with all the food all over her face! She looks so cute!
Real moms impress upon kids at a tender age that they are all-power, all-seeing and utterly impossible to get around…so don’t even try.
Ideally, this notion remains with the kids until they go off to college. It makes parenting teenagers much easier.
Oh yes, and real moms are MOMs - not friends.
Enjoy,
Barbara
Barbara Ling’s last blog post..Responsible cell phone and mobile phone usage for kids
Both my husband & I don’t like to see our 2 year old get messy at dinner. Our daughter has even started to signal that she doesn’t like her hands messy (so we have to keep a wet cloth on the dinner table). Could that be why she is a picky eater???