I'll Never Do That

"I'll never do that when I have kids". How many times did I tell myself that before I became a mom? How many times have I, since I’ve become a mom, done those things I said I wouldn’t do? In my case, my pre-mommy thoughts centered around FOOD; I swore I would not be a short order cook, I would not take my kids to fast food, and  I would not give my kids candy. Ha! I have now done all three!

I watched my sister and friends as short order cooks for their kids, making anything their child demanded, just to get them to eat. I vowed not to do that. I thought if I insisted hard enough, I could make dinner and my kids would eat whatever I made. It makes me laugh now as I prepare several variations of dinner for my picky eater Ben! What I didn't understand at the time was when babies & kids don't eat, they don't sleep. Sleep as we all know is precious, especially to a tired mommy at the end of the day, so I chose to try to have well fed kids that will sleep.

I loved fast food as a youngster and could eat it all the time. But I avoid it now and try to keep healthy. I am so into healthy eating that I once told my nephew when he was six that California did not have McDonald’s! He discovered one eventually. I was not going to take my kids to fast food, but then I discovered how “fast” and “easy” it is. I think my nanny actually took them the first time, and I was mortified! I guess I had never discussed that McDonalds was off limits. Naturally, my picky eater Ben loved it. Now we visit McDonalds twice a month on the way home from swim class. My kids actually eat better in the car and if I drive slow enough they have finished off the chicken nuggets and the fries, and are onto their favorites, the apple dippers by the time we arrive home. It’s really fantastic!

Candy – another junk food I love. It’s no wonder my kids love it. My mom laughs when I tell her Ben would rather eat junk food than real food because that’s how I was. I gave the kids their first lollypops last fall at our playgroup pumpkin outing [why?]. Someone gave them to them and they liked them so much that I realized I could use them to encourage good behavior. I’d resisted that long because my father in law was a dentist. Each time they have a lolly, I apologize silently to Eric’s dad. But I have to tell you, lollypops and other “incentive” foods can be miracle workers when it comes to traveling.

I guess the moral of my story is, never say never. While there are many things that I haven’t done that I said I wouldn’t do before becoming a mom, there are many more that I have done. It doesn’t make me a bad mom, just a flexible one.

By Polly F.

Cross Posted to Mad About Multiples from Foxtales.