I am many things, but first and foremost I like to think I am a really good mom. I have devoted my entire present day life to being the best mom I can for two beautiful kids.
Motherhood is not something I take lightly either. I actually started preparing for it a few years before it actually happened. After I got married, I quit the corporate world and went back to school and become a nutritionist. I figured this wonderful career would provide me with invaluable insight into the world of food (something I have since discovered kids eat a lot of) and also allow me to set my own hours, a perfect career for a future mom.
Well, child # 1 came along, a beautiful girl and I have to admit I did pretty much everything by the book (there are a lot of books out there mind you with differing viewpoints&) and it all worked. Her favourite food is tabouleh, loaded with parsley and tomatoes and lemon juice. She eats fruits, vegetables, whole grains and she even asks for more when I serve tofu. I figured that if we just do it right, all kids would end up like this.
Along came child #2 and I was humbled. This tiny little creature knocked me off my super mom pedestal and gave me a healthy dose of reality. I now know that no child is a blank slate and that every child comes out with their own unique and beautiful personality. After Super Daughter came a little boy that wouldn't touch anything solid for 9 months. Breast is best they say and he believed it. He was then slow to introduce new foods and still now at 18 months old, I have to employ all the tricks in the book to get him to eat properly. He doesn't love vegetables (gasp!) and he still has a small breast addiction that I don't have the heart to wean him from.
So why the confession? I want moms out there to know that it happens to all of us, even those who are supposed to know what they are doing. But that doesn't mean give up hope. I truly believe it is our duty to feed our children nutrient-dense foods that will help them not just grow| but to thrive.
So, I keep trying and I keep learning and I am thankful. I now have a healthy dose of empathy for other moms out there that are living with picky eaters. I have learned 1001 new tricks to getting picky eaters to eat healthy foods and I have seen a little boy grow and thrive and I am reaping the rewards for my hard work.
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