Fed Up.
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 7:26PM Of course, on the day I spend close to 2 hours on someone’s “couch”, pouring my whole life onto a stranger and trying to answer her question (“why are you here?”) is the same day that justifies exactly why I am there.
Or at least, a portion of it (the medicated portion).
As I type this, my eldest child is eating Cool Ranch Doritos for dinner (that I purchased for his birthday party, FYI). With milk. My youngest is naked, on the couch, eating strawberries with chocolate drizzled over them AND a chocolate covered creme-filled Krispy Kreme doughnut (a whim purchase this weekend). With milk.
I know you’ve all (or at least most of you) have had these nights. When you just throw your hands in the air and say “FINE! DOUGHNUTS FOR DINNER!” but Y’ALL. This happens so. often.
I’m actually embarrassed.
I go out of my way to purchase products that don’t contain a ton of crap, that are mostly natural and relatively healthy. I ALWAYS have fresh fruit on hand for their sweet-tooth cravings (and mine) - grapes, strawberries, peaches, bananas, etc. They both eat yogurt, but only the Go-Gurt Simply (read: less sugar/crap, more actual yogurt).
Every morning, Chase has 2 eggs (scrambled and microwaved with only a little milk). Conner has pancakes typically, but only the ones that don’t have preservatives or additives with maple syrup. I only buy Welch’s fruit snacks because they are ACTUALLY made of REAL fruit and don’t contain a lot of additional garbage.
The point here is this - I TRY. But my children still find ways around it and they are 5 and 2.5, respectively.
I only offer water, (real) juice, or milk with the occasional CapriSun Flavored Water for on-the-road moments.
It’s just…. THEY ARE HAVING DORITOS AND KRISPY KREMES. FOR. DINNER.
I am literally in tears, not only because of WHAT they are eating, but how they obtained it. Chase spent 30 minutes in the floor crying The Bad Cry for NO REASON. I offered options for food (not knowing whether he was hungry as he ate recently) and eventually he responded to ‘strawberries’. Only, he pulled the chocolate syrup out of the fridge while I was cutting said berries up, and went into Total Meltdown Def Con 5 Red Alert Mode when I DARE suggest to consume them without the chocolate.
AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG DAY SO I JUST CAVED.
I go to sit down again, when Conner approaches WHINING. God, I hate the whining. He is such a ;lr3 pkn;psfojkqMRW;rlka lknlk ABOUT IT. Literally drives me insane.
Insane enough to end up on someone’s couch, clearly. (Editor’s Note: for FAR more reasons than this petty blog post)
He’s all “I want food” and I’m all “peanut butter and jelly? chicken nuggets? banana?” and he’s all “CHIPS!” and I’m all “…” and he’s all “CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and I’m like “DUDE WHY ARE YOU WHINING”.
I hate this.
He got the chips.
It’s not for lack of trying guys. I give them options and cook and you know what happens? Food goes into the garbage. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Chase eats (like a “normal” kid) on occasion, but y’all. I’m just tired. Did I mention that?
All those stupid “this tasty trick will make even the pickiest of eaters gobble down This Vegetable” don’t work. NOTHING WORKS. FED UP.
(AND SIDE NOTE: THE YELLING. I CAN NOT. HANDLE. THE. YELLING. RIGHT NOW. WHY ARE THEY SCREAMING? STILL? JUST WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?)
Growing up, I had a few greens that were just absolute “no way, jose”s, but I loved broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans. I ate salad. I loved apples, bananas, grapes, etc. I enjoy chicken and hamburger meat.
MY KIDS WON’T EVEN EAT SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS OR MEATSAUCE.
Chase protests hamburgers.
Conner does as well (but will eat a 5 Guys Burger. lol)
It’s gotten to the point that they literally either eat absolute garbage OR they eat the all-natural chicken nuggets I buy, cuts of block cheese, aforementioned fruit, eggs (Chase only), peanut butter and jelly (Conner only) like… 3 times a week.
I just feel like such a fucking failure at this.
My house isn’t clean. My kids watch too much tv. Conner is ADDICTED to video games (I take them away ALL. THE. TIME).
I guess I just don’t know what to do. Help?
Reader Comments (6)
I wish I could give you the perfect advice, but as a parent of a 5 month old I wouldn't dare to even try. I have not stood in your shoes and won't belittle your problems by thinking I could solve them. All that being said, what I can offer, is e-hugs and sympathy. Not much, I know. I am glad to hear that you are getting some help. I hope things get better for you soon. More hugs!!
Dude, this is SO normal. My kids eat all that $hit minus the milk. At least you got the milk in. ;)
My oldest is my best eater and as he gets older he eats more and more variety... but he's almost 10. It was a long road to get to where he is now and it's so nice to have at least 1 good eater.
My middle child gives me gray hair. He is a peanut butter sandwich/chicken nugget man. He won't eat syrup on his waffles/pancakes b/c he doesn't like sticky fingers. I have to threaten him and feed it to him, or I just give in and give him a plain pancake for breakfast. He will not eat fruit of any kind... I offer with every meal and it goes in the trash every. meal. He will not eat veggies. He will not drink milk. He will not eat spaghetti w/meatballs OR without b/c he freaks if the sauce gets on his face. Lunch is a peanut butter sandwich - sans jelly b/c jelly gives you sticky fingers, of course. EVERY. DAY. Don't even get me started on dinner. If I make him try something new, he works himself up into a crying fit and then runs from the table and says he's going to throw up. I hate mealtime w/him. HATE it.
Know what he drinks? My diet soda. It's caffeine free, but still. You don't want your 5 year old downing diet soda all day. It's not for him, but it's in the pantry and he gets it out when I'm tending to the baby or occupied w/something else. I gave up on offering 'healthy' juice 'cause they won't drink it. They get Capri Sun. Water??? Who are we kidding.
And girl, mine have had Doritos for dinner and even Oreos for breakfast on more than one occasion. Don't be so hard on yourself.
I only wish I was intelligent enough to get medication. There are days that the screaming of my children leads to me screaming for them to "Just Shut Up For Two Freakin' Seconds!!!!' and then I feel like Crappy Mother of the Decade. I don't mean to offend anyone, but, working Mom's get a break. Dad's get a break. We stay at home- all day- everyday- and listen to the arguing and whining. and it is so worth it, but it gets overwhelming. and I'm sorry but a 2 day 'break' when Daddy is home to help is not enough to regain sanity sometimes. Heck- Doritos never killed anyone- my toddler just happens to have a cheese and raisin bread addition, and guess what? that's what I give her :-) Kudos for sharing
Oh Amanda, I wish I could help you! Might I just say that I feel this way pretty frequently? I cave all the time, now that I am nursing every two hours around the clock and I just don't have the energy to say no. My boys are becoming spoiled, and at this point I just don't care. One thing to think of is when you do hard things like go to therapy and bare your soul, it is emotionally exhausting and you have to give yourself some extra room that day to take care of yourself and not be too hard on yourself (I have done therapy. For two years. I know how it is.)
Let 'em be addicted to video games! One day, when you feel like you can handle life again, they won't be addicted any more. Let 'em eat Krispy Kremes! It won't kill them. Good luck, my dear.
I have no advice my newest e-bff. But HUGS for you!
I sooooo think this is going to be me when Joshua masters the power of language. Fruit? Sometimes. Vegetables? If they are pureed and I force feed him? Chips? Cookies? Candy? HELL YES. ALL THE TIME.
::sigh::