THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB

By Pia Mattix Davis

I refuse to eat raw or cooked spinach unless it is in a casserole or sauce.  My oldest son only eats broccoli, while my baby is a fickle pickle and will devour asparagus one day and spit it out the next.  As their parent, it is my job to provide wholesome meals, but I don't have the time, energy, or the desire to force either boy to consume unappealing foods.  

I loved spinach up until 4 or 5 years ago, but one day I detected a filmy texture that lingered.  I attempted to eat spinach on many other occasions, but the filmy texture remained.  Up until last year my oldest refused to even consider eating sushi.  One day I convinced him to try a bite and since then has has been hooked!

What is my point you ask?

We as parents can't respectfully force our children to eat the foods that we enjoy.  Stuffing a child's mouth full of collard greens or forcing them to remain at the table until the liver is gone will not cultivate a love for that particular food.  Instead it builds anger, and creates resentment and can rob a child of the possibility of one day enjoying something that they once despised.

We work hard to fashion our children into rational, human beings, so can't we trust and honor their choice when they tell us that they don't like green beans?