The Great Hamburger Incident

With kids, you pick your battles. There is just too much the little trouble-makers do that if you harped on everything, you'd have no time to breathe.

The Battle I picked last night was 'Eating what is on your plate'. I do not run a short order kitchen. I do not make 3 different meals. I do try and cook food that at least 2 out of 3 people living in this house will enjoy. Little J decided that he didn't want to eat the hamburger he asked for. Suddenly he was allergic, and the hamburger was too chewy. After listening to Mr. Whiney-Butt complain about his dinner long after his daddy and I were already finished, I decided to bring out the big guns

I got mad and uttered these words

... You will NOT leave the table until you eat all your hamburger!

I had just broken the cardinal rule of parenting. NEVER, EVER, NEVER challenge your child over food. They are stubborn little beasts and no matter how strong you think you are...you WILL lose. I wish I had the will-power of a pre-schooler in a tantrum.


We had tears, we had all out hysterics, we had pleading, we had drama. I moved him into the kitchen, nothing to distract him, no one to talk too. He sat there for HOURS! All he had to do was eat some hamburger and he would be excused. Do you think he did?

Hell No!

He was falling asleep in his chair but still refused to eat.

And then it happened. Mommy caved. Yes folks, the Little Darling won. 3.5hrs of listening to him wore me out. It was bedtime so I excused him and sent him straight to bed.

And what lesson did it teach? That next time he only has to avoid eating the hamburger for 3.75hrs before being excused. Today it's hamburger, tomorrow it will be tattoos and curfews. Some days I suck at this parenting gig. I can only pray that I don't turn him into a psychopathic serial killer. Then I'd really feel like crap.