Is it just me, or does having kids around mean that there are very rarely times when I get to eat without one or two extra little mouths hovering about, vying for a bite?
Accompanying these attempts to hijack my meals are cute phrases like, "Me too! Me too!" although Andy usually prefers to call out, "Iwannin!" (I want it) and Ann has taken to coming up close to me and trying to flatter her way onto my plate ("Mommy, I really love you, Mommy. I like you. Can I have some please . . ?").
I like to eat in peace, and while I realize that, for the most part, those days are over, it sometimes seems as though I only get to taste every fourth or fifth bite! I guess it would be different if early on I had been very adamant about "Mommy's Food," but it seems this is not the most territorial of households.
Thankfully my kids are good eaters, with nice appetites, healthy-ish tastes, and the willingness to try new foods. But I think there's still no greater way to make a food appealing to them than to start eating it myself. Anything from a bowl of cereal to a real meal to a glass of water lends itself to frequent meal-jacking.
When Ann was just starting to eat regular food, I could get away with continuing to cook for just me and RaggedyDad, and taking off a bit of food to give to her. Now that she's a bigger and hungrier kid, she actually needs to be counted in the shopping and cooking equation!
But Andy puts us all to shame. Eating is his forte, and he tries to eat each meal several times by meal-jacking every other member of the family. I remember when my brothers were teenagers and food would literally disappear before it had more than a few minutes to get comfortable in its spot in the fridge. The day Andy's big-boy appetite really kicks into high gear is going to be a momentous (and pricey!) one around here.
Another hidden un-benefit of all this meal-jacking is that it's also a great way to ensure that when one of us is sick, we all get sick very quickly. Just another way we like to spread the love around.
Considering that the RaggedyKids' bedtime runs rather early, I do often have the option of waiting until they're asleep to eat. But I kind of like to eat together with them and then get everything cleaned up together.
I just have to be prepared to be meal-jacked. Yet again.
9 comments:
My daughter asks if we can trade breakfasts (even if we're having the same thing). I have long ago stopped worrying about germs.
My SIL tells how she would make a lunch with chicken and vegetables for her toddler, and as soon as she sat down with a piece of dry bread he was in front of her begging for it!
They say the best way to diet is to eat in front of your kids (especially when you're eating something fattening like cake).
Geez...that's an awfully healthy looking meal there :)
If your kids are like Little Orieyenta, it won't change. She's 8 and I can still sit down with and entire plate of food and end up eating only a few bites while she has eaten everything on her plate and mine! If only I could be like her and eat and eat and eat and never gain an ounce!
I know exactly what you mean Raggedy, same thing happens to me all the time
Meal Jacked- I like it. Very descriptive.
Hilarious term, meal-jacked!!! I am sure I did that to my mom when I was little, because I sure as heck do it now. Though to be fair she does it just as much to me these days with "Oh honey that sandwich looks so good can I have a bite?" and all that nonsense LOL. My brother eats us all out of house and home. If it isn't locked up or nailed to the ground, he'll eat it and/or drink it. We went to the grocery store the other day and bought him 4 cases of that Propel water stuff and like 4 bags of Doritos. Guess how much is left? Uh, yeah, not much but crumbs and little droplets. *sigh* I can only imagine the fun you're in for when Andy gets bigger! :-)
I love that term it's great and so true, very funny.
It continues until they move out. If you think the little ones are trouble, try eating a nice piece of chicken or a steak with teenagers around.
Yes, I'm going to eat that!
Loved this post, thank you!
I need a term for the opposite phenomenon: not serving myself dinner until all the kids are finished, and making a meal from the gleanings of their leftovers.
This hasn't been helpful for my waistline.
Maybe these are "glean-overs"?
All the best,
CLKL
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