You better eat

Austin is a picky eater. I guess that's to be expected from a 4 year old, a busy 4 year old. He knows what he likes and knows what he doesn't like.

Last week was an interesting week of eating where Austin's concerned. On Monday, I met my mother at the D.Q. to pick Austin up from spending Sunday night at her house. We all ate lunch. Correction, my mother and I ate lunch. Austin picked at his lunch. So, after my mother and I finished our lunches and "I'm full" came out of his mouth, I wrapped up the uneaten chicken fingers and french fries and brought them home for later.

We're trying to explain to Austin about being wasteful. We've told him that he doesn't need to ask for something and not eat it only to throw it away. So, I explained to Austin that he'd see the chicken fingers that he didn't eat at lunch again at dinner.

Dinner came and went with the chicken fingers uneaten. I explained again that he'd see those chicken fingers at dinner the next night. I also told him that Andrew was going to see Dr. Hamm the next day and we'd tell him that he's not eating his dinner. This comment left Austin just distraught at the thought that we'd be talking to his doctor about him and he begged me not to say anything. (For those of you who don't know, Dr. Hamm is the kids pediatrician. We use his name in all sorts of ways to get Austin to do or not do something.)

The next night, the chicken fingers made their final appearance on Austin's dinner plate. Austin was so proud of himself for finally eating them. I'm sure one day when he gets older he'll say, "Remember the time Mommy saved those chicken fingers and made me eat them for days."