Tonight at dinner I realized that I have failed. Part of my new year resolution was to try and have a family dinner at least once a week. That does not seem difficult, but it also does not happen. Maybe because we are all going different directions, maybe it is because I just know it will be a disaster, or maybe I just am too lazy to try and get everything ready by 6:00 pm.
In any event, the resolution has not happened and I don't think we have sat down together for one meal except for the occasional McDonald's run.
I decided this morning on the treadmill that I am going into "dinner boot camp" mode. This does not mean that I am going to be unrealistic and think we will sit down for a meal (even one time a week), but I am going to try hard to give my sons the tools that they would need to not only eat their vegetables/try something new, but also have conversations during meals.
Here is the "bootcamp" plan:
Step 1: Once the meal is served make them say some sort of thanks for serving them food (I know that I am their parent and it is my job, but that does not mean that they should not be thankful, right?)
Step 2: Make them finish a vegetable I know that they will eat (even if that means bribing) . I am not saying I am going to make them finish their kale the first time I serve it, but I know for a fact that Wip will eat his peas. I need to force it. I am tired of throwing away uneaten peas. There is no reason that I should not make him finish the darn peas (even if that means giving him a Ranger cookie)
Step 3: If the meal is "new" make them try at minimum of three bites. I am awful about just "letting it go" and not making them eat if they don't like something. Three bites does not seem like something that I will have to cut off my arm to get them to do, right?
Step 4: Talk about their day. Each person during a meal time (including Duncan, ha ha ha) has to say something that they liked or did not like about the day.
Ok, so there it is, I put it out there...now lets see how it goes:)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqfXTqmeubPBNuXaDRkC15c9pTWNrdJ-H-VJIrUsG2pq4HaYuv40tEnnhbxN4b75Jk4bE5fvNgZefCkZ2Tn-K8yCLDLqIYkn2Tqt-TZ-8RRC1_AjA2gk84jCySXXnNU-4j85FsPfjYW0/s320/photo+%252811%2529.JPG) |
This is a boy who finished all of his peas tonight |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZmteJFvsZYvGVR2nzO97iwuIqHp8eZR4MSMkeJHK-7OCe4p3nUIVMcJD8RWmLVMuDoU4ciYqF-mOcHVTtK_7uTUHEbCx81Qw84IctarEQA3P_onPriBuWXhLNY-tlghPP0aPjZ_aq0I/s320/photo+%252812%2529.JPG) |
This is a boy who did not |