Ingenious idea, I thought! Youtube, my trusty friend, came through yet again with a genius how-to video to answer some mundane question of mine. We bought some yummy delicious cherries, and TC, my little Toddler Child, loves fruit. I didn't want him to aspirate a pit in a cherry fueled excitement. Last time he had cherries was several months ago when grandma methodically cut the goodness around the pit. But grandma has time and patience that I completely lack. I needed some quick and easy way to pit lots of cherries. Supposedly such gadgets as cherry pitters exist. But (a) I was sitting with a bag of cherries and a hungry toddler, and I needed something NOW and (b) I hate buying useless one trick pony kitchen equipment. Youtube how-to video to the rescue!
An empty wine bottle. Check. Chopsticks. Check check. So I spent the next 10 minutes pitting a lot of cherries. I may gone a little overboard, but there is something oddly satisfying about excising the pit out of a cherry with precision in one swift motion. Ten minutes later I proudly presented TC with a bowl full of "safe" cherries whose pits he wasn't going to aspirate or break his newly sprouted teeth chewing on. At first, TC let out an excited "Chays!". Yes, TC, delicious chays, dig in! TC picked up the first cherry, and his smile was quickly replaced with confusion. How strange, the first cherry was damaged with a hole. He continued to pick up cherry after cherry and putting them back, now with full-on disgust. I knew it was coming, and there it was! TC tossed the entire bowl of cherries on the floor, laid his head on the table and sobbed his lungs out for half an hour. Because his cherries were damaged.
Anyhoo, with that story as an introduction, I am excited and delighted to be writing for the MiM community! I found MiM a few years ago when I was pregnant and freaking out about how I was going to swing this whole motherhood thing while going through med school. As for all life advice, I turned to Dr. Google, who directed me to this blog. Through the years this blog provided me with some reassurance that this whole mothering and medicining process doesn't always look pretty but there are others out there in the same boat who are making it work. And they are willing to share those messy stories. I felt that it was time to stop lurking and start giving back and putting my stories out there. You can find more about me in the about page of this blog. I also write my own blog, Mrs MD PhD, where you can find more about me. Feel free to regale me in comments below of how your toddler (or not so toddler) child(ren) laid waste the fruits of your labor and/or cunning.
My daughter still hates fruit. I've stopped making her eat chocolate chip banana bread (I used to bake from scratch weekly) and drink orange juice cause she discovered a love of veggies. My son loves all fruit but will eat little beyond iceberg lettuce and raw spinach in the veggie department (I hear they stretch him more than I do at dad and stepmoms, which is great!). I'm hoping there's enough yin and yang going on that they both will grow up to be balanced productive members of society. I pray there is still a society when they get there.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! You sound like a smart, wonderful, dedicated mother. We are lucky to have you here.
Love this post. Glad you're here. This is funny and heartbreaking and infuriating, all at the same time. Toddlers! I love them. Especially other people's.
ReplyDeleteThere's a phase of parenting called YOU RUINED IT. "It" can be fruit, sandwiches cut the wrong way, beds turned down when they weren't supposed to be, shoes that are not the right color....you get the idea.
Love the story! I am in the "you ruined it" phase for sure, with two kids under 4. It's hilarious when it isn't totally exasperating. Welcome!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I am most definitely in the "you ruined it" phase. Completely unpredictable as to what that "it" might be. "It" also changes on a daily basis. I was able to trick TC into eating *damaged* cherries by offering them the next day when he was watching TV and too busy to look at the holes in the cherries. Also, weekly banana bread from scratch is dedication! I wonder if every toddler will either eat fruit OR vegetables but NOT both. Mine thinks vegetables are detestable, and under no circumstance, will eat them.
ReplyDeleteMine still, at 16, has a very limited number of acceptable vegetables. Raw (not cooked) carrots are the mainstay. I know they're not green. We do what we can. She will also eat salad (preferably not at home) and she adores olives, which really have to be good for you. Don't they? She also loves guacamole and has recently started eating plain avocado.
DeleteShe does love fruit, especially grapes, melon and berries. I keep telling myself it's 5 servings of FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, not just vegetables...
You also didn't add how time-consuming this activity would be for busy toddlers!!! We love giving our 4 year old a pile of peanuts for him to smash and crack open. Love this as a summer option - giving our 4 year old a pile of cherries, chopsticks and a plastic bottle!!! Yes!!!
ReplyDelete