Veggie Monster
Have you ever seen a grosser looking pea (yet slightly cute)? I’ve seen some ugly looking peas in my life, but I think this might be the ugliest. Is this guy popular in your house? You are LUCKY if he’s not! If Listen Monster was the monster I knew best as a kid, Veggie Monster was the one I knew second best. I made swallowing-veggies-whole-without-tasting-them an art. If I didn’t finish them while my whole family was around the table, I would sit there all night if that’s what it took. Did any of you do this? When everyone left the room, I’d run to the garbage and hide them under a napkin or something and yell out that I was done. I would go so far as to flush them down the toilet too if necessary! Anyone else? I wonder what percentage of veggies make up our sewer systems. I have a feeling I’m not alone here! How do you handle this as a parent? Veggie Monster sure challenges us as parents (really, all of these monsters do). My parents tell me this all the time as I’m now raising my own children, “Parenting is not for wimps.” Boy are they right. I’ve always had a great love and respect for my parents… but NOW I see the sheer braun it took to raise 6 children. We all know that not just anyone can do that!
Maybe Saturday night is a good night to avoid Veggie Monster all together? Maybe instead of offering a vegetable, give yourself a break and offer a favorite fruit instead. 
Have a great weekend,
Katie
I didn’t know the veggie monster, but the meat monster. I did not like steak and there were many nights where I’d have to sit there after everyone else was done and finish my cold steak. The veggie monster makes it appearance in my house thru my oldest and hubby.
My other two love veggies and we’ve actually had to tell them “no more broccoli until you finish your meat/spaghetti/etc!”
Lol! That is too funny! Thanks or sharing!
being one of the youngest from a large family I saw the hideous fights that ensued from food. my parents forcing my sisters to eat it, vomiting, hiding it under the table, in their cheek, sitting for hours angrily poking at food they were never going to eat. so I just ate it. whatever it was. whether I liked it or not in order to be able to get away from the table. I hate tension and there was a lot in our family regardless of food so I just wanted to be done and up. my mother still thinks I like liver, I’m all no, I don’t…I just didn’t want to fight about it. as an adult, I tend to eat what I don’t like first and then the stuff I like and that’s not good. took me a long time as an adult to know I could say no to certain foods.
then I was a nanny and the food battles began again.
and I decided when I had my own kid, I was not having them. just not.
I want him to enjoy food. I want him to like all kinds. I don’t want him to hate anything because he was forced to eat it. but I want him to be able to develop likes and dislikes and be able to say no. so…I make food for him and for me (yes yes I get all the time, don’t be a restaurant make them eat what you eat – well I’m not gonna starve an animal and I’m not going to starve my child so I don’t agree with that). if he wants mine – and he does sometimes – great I share. I offer him whatever I am eating. some days (often seemingly for months) he’ll scoff at every fruit and vegetable offered. then he’ll eat tons, his mine and want me to make more.
I have people in my family question that…they want me to force him. but again, I’m just not going to. I do allow only one juice a day (if that) and rarely soda and we mostly drink water and he does milk. his juice is most often fusion which is a serving of fruits and veggies in 8 oz (which he doesn’t usually get that much) so…even though he’s picky he’s also adventurous…will eat thai and vietnamese and chinese etc…he knows he doesn’t like ketchup or spicy, he knows he really loves noodles. and he tells people that. and I’m okay with that. I also find if I offer it in an interesting way – usually a toothpick – any objections are overcome because hey, I’m using a toothpick to eat my food! and then after a few bites, hey I really like this food.
food is such a power struggle – like potty training – let them be the one in control (or at least feel that way) and it becomes much easier.
I agree. There have been times I have tried the eat all the food on your plate before you get down, but quickly saw that was not the route I wanted to go. Veggie monster comes and goes. But I just allow them to eat what they want off their dinner plate (what we all eat for dinner), but nothing else if they don’t finish their dinner. And I believe in monitoring portion sizes appropriate for the child so I’m not forcing them to overeat.
So, you win some, you lose some. But in a week, I think they get the nutrients they need.
You are so creative…Each day I am so excited to see what monster is next! And so far, I have experienced a little of ALL of them!