The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games: Toddler Version

   My wonderful, sweet son used to eat anything put in front of him with a smile on his face.  When he turned three years old, that all stopped.  He wanted to only eat chips, candy, and junk food.  If he had ANYTHING to eat 3 hours before dinner, he would simply refuse to eat.  Often, he has gone to bed not having eaten dinner because he just refuses to eat his food.

    I am not a super strict mom, but I do expect my children to eat healthy.  I don't even mind if they have some "junk food", once they have eaten something healthy.   My older two are great eaters and love vegetables, so I was surprised with my third born hating them!

      So, this is my new plan for eating.  No snacking three hours before dinner, unless it's part of dinner served early.  TRY everything on your plate.  I usually try to make sure there are at least some things at the table that he likes, but I do expect him to try new things and not say "I don't like it" when he hasn't even tried it!

    This proved most difficult when one night last week, he wouldn't touch his spaghetti (because I had poured sauce on it), or his green beans.  I didn't think it was too much to ask to eat ONE green bean.  He went to bed without eating, by his own choice.  In the morning, he wanted cereal, and I presented him with his plate from dinner I had saved in the fridge.  I told him if he would eat ONE green bean then he could have his breakfast.  He went until almost 11AM before he decided, yes he was hungry enough to eat a green bean!!  He gagged it down, but then smiled and was proud.  In my opinion, children who are "picky eaters" will eventually break down and eat what is offered them, if they are allowed to get hungry enough.  Meaning, offering only water until they eat OR AT LEAST TRY the food being offered.

   So, do you agree with allowing your child to go hours without food, crying for food until they are so hungry they'll eat anything, or would you offer your child something else that you know they will eat?

  Thoughts anyone? 

PS.  Tonight, Jonathan cried because we were having baked ziti and he wanted it "clean" (no sauce).  So, I rinsed the sauce off of the pasta and meat.  He ate all his pasta but left the meat, and wanted more pasta. I told him "Yes, once you eat everything on your plate."  It only took a few minutes for him to decide to try the meat and he ended up eating seconds.  

Last week of Summer!

    We just dropped of Katrina at camp for the week, which was a very last minute decision.  We just registered her yesterday.  This is a first for Katrina, she's never been to camp.  But, thankfully, she's sharing a  teepee with two friends, one friend that she knew at Chester-East Lincoln back in Kindergarten and a friend of hers.  So, she's already making friends.  

Katrina and Jonathan in front of the teepee she'll be staying in this week.

  Of course, Katrina can't be the only one to have fun this week, so my parents offered to have Heather come and spend 4 nights with them.  They came and picked her up last night, which was also very spur of the moment!

My parents and the kids, picking up Heather

  So, for the next few days, it's just Bill, Jonathan and I at home.  I'm really happy that each girl gets to make some special memories this last week of summer, which will be completed this weekend when we go up to Eastview Christian Church for their VBS!  We'll be arriving home Sunday night, and the first day of school is on Monday!   It's been a wonderful, busy and exciting summer.  Now, we look forward to what the fall and this school year will bring.

Thinking of Africa...

A BBQ at our Arusha house

I love it here in America, I really do.  Everything is so cheap (yes, fuel is $3.50+ a gallon, but we pay almost $8 a gallon in Arusha!), and convenient.  To check my mail I just look in my mailbox instead of driving to the post office down town.   You can find whatever you need at the store, and prepared food makes meals easy and quick! It's great that we can see our parents much more often.
   But, there are some things that I miss about Africa/Arusha.  As much as my kids drive me crazy sometimes, I'm going to miss them when they go to school in the fall.  In Arusha, we always homeschool, so that is never an issue.  I miss that in Arusha, our yard has a wall around it, so the kids can play outside without me "watching" them... here I have to be more vigilant.  Where we lived in Arusha, I could walk to the grocery store.  Here, I have to drive to get anywhere.  And, of course, I miss my friends in Arusha who make life so fun.  It seems we were always have a BBQ, or game night, or having people over for a play date with the kids.
      Of course, there are many things that are irritating, frustrating and plan exasperating about living overseas, so for now, I am enjoying modern life here in America!!

Home Sweet Home

We are finally "home", here in Lincoln, IL.  Above is a picture of our apartment, which is a 3 bedroom apartment, part of the married student housing here at Lincoln Christian Seminary.  Monday, Bill signs his official paperwork with the school.  Thursday is Katrina and Heather's school registration.  

This summer has been very busy and full of traveling and visiting, and I'm looking forward to getting more settled into our own home and schedule and traveling only on weekends.

Family Get Together!

We have been so blessed to see family, and it was great to be able to see Bill's brother David and his wife Kara and their four kids. They live overseas and arrived back in the States for a visit on July 26th for two weeks in Crown Point, IN.  Two days after they arrived, Bill's sister, Mary and husband Roger and two of their grandkids came to visit as well. Bill's aunt and uncle and cousins even got to come which was really great.  We were able to get a family photo.