#kidconversations

[davidhohnillustration]

Do enough home renovation and these are the interactions that start going through your head . . .

[tw0f4z3]

View this post on Instagram

@Regranned from @soshellz - So in love 😍 with her 🤣🤣🤣 #toofunny #hilarious #mila #kidconversations d-_-b 0_o - #regrann

[gethealthywithannmarie-blog]

Need help talking to kids about sticky situations? Damsel in Defense is here to help with book like MADISON'S BIG BROTHER and Proactive Parent Guide. Follow Elizabeth as she helps Isabella navigate a tricky situation when a boy tries to kiss her while they are home alone. Book Features: Education-based product line, A tricky friends “kid-versation”, easy-to-read and kid-friendly story line will bridge the gap into a conversation that will help you provide an open forum for your child mydamselpro.net/ahammerer #damselindefense #damselpro #safetyfirstkids #kidconversations

[goodtasteandgatherings]

Kid Conversations at the Table: Breakfast.

Kid Conversations at the Table, by Carrie Arcos

The only essential ingredient I need in the morning is a cup of coffee, but when you have kids, a cup of Joe isn’t going to cut it. 

For one thing, it’ll stunt their growth and my kids need all the help they can get in that department. For another thing, kids are always hungry.

[Left to right: that's Matisse and Aiden...]

[...and that's Judah, ready for school.]

Now that school’s back in session, in the rush to get three elementary aged kids ready, the only thing we usually have time for is cereal, toast or pop up waffles. (Thank goodness for Trader Joe’s, right?) For cereal the options are: gluten free Panda Puffs for one kid and then Honey Nut Cheerios for the other two (the only sugar cereal allowed) and homemade muesli for mom. On the weekends, sometimes Dad will step in and make eggs or pancakes or even migas—strips of corn tortilla fried in oil and then tossed with scrambled eggs. Sometimes I’ll get fancy and pull out the waffle maker and cut up some strawberries to sprinkle over.

But as Angelinos, my kids have developed a varied palate. Most of the time when I ask what we should eat, it wavers between sushi, albondigas, vegetarian and pad Thai.

Breakfast being the only time they don’t really ask for much, I wanted to give the kids a good back to school breakfast. With twenty minutes to spare before we had to load in the car, I called the kids to the table, placed the white plate with a beautifully shaped cheese omelet in front of them and the reaction was not what I anticipated.

“What’s this?” Aiden said.

“It’s an omelet.”

“Yeah, but we don’t eat omelets,” Matisse said.

“You eat them at Grandma’s all the time.”

This was true and in fact, they had just spent a long weekend with Grandma serving omelets every morning.

“That’s because she makes them right,” Matisse said. “I’m not eating that.”

“I made them just like she does.”

“No, you don’t have the right materials,” Aiden said.

“There are eggs, sharp cheddar cheese and butter. What other materials?”

“I don’t know,” Aiden, said, “Just stuff that she adds.”

He poked at the omelet with his fork.

I’ve observed my mom make her omelets, and I knew there weren’t any other ingredients.

“I want a flat egg,” Judah said.

“I didn’t make a flat egg today. I made omelets and you’re going to eat them and you’re going to like them. Tomorrow I’ll make some oatmeal instead.”

“Um, that’s okay Mom,” Aiden said.

“What, you don’t eat oatmeal now?”

“No, it’s just Grandma makes oatmeal too. You should just stick with cereal and bacon.”

“She boils water, that’s it!” I said, now starting to feel hurt at the rejection of my breakfast attempt.

“Cinnamon toast!” Judah said. “We could have cinnamon toast.”

“No,” Matisse said. “Dawn does that the right way.”

Dawn is a good friend of mine, and an excellent cook, though maybe I shouldn’t have her cook for my kids anymore.

“Just eat it,” I said and returned to the kitchen. I took a sip of my coffee, and started second guessing my choice for dinner: salmon, greens and rice.

“Mom, make your leek soup. I love that,” Judah called from the dining room.

“The creamy kind,” Aiden said.

“Or your squash. Or cauliflower,” Matisse said.

“Your ribs are pretty good,” Aiden acknowledged.

I checked the time--five minutes.

The kids jumped up and brought their plates to the kitchen counter. They ran to their rooms to find their backpacks and put on shoes. I picked up one of the plates and tossed the half eaten clump of an omelet into the trash and made a mental note to grab some more cereal from the store later. 

Enjoy more from Carrie Arcos at CarrieArcos.com. 

And if want to attempt a fancy omelet, try this recipe from Epicurious.

[ljphotomama]

Me: I used to watch This Old House when I was your age.

Jonas: Was I in your tummy then?

Me: No.

Jonas: I was just a glimmer in your eye.