I was a fairly picky eater for years. I spent the first four years of my life in India, eating delicious spicy foods, so I don’t think it’s a truism at all that kids like bland foods…they like what they are used to. When I came to the States my adoptive mom cooked much blander, plainer food, much less often (leftovers a lot of nights) and I seriously almost stopped eating. I was scrawny thin for years and years and years, until I was eleven or so. I was allowed to take candy and stuff to lunch in the desperate hope I would eat something. Around age 11, suddenly I started eating normally.
But in all of this time I was taught to be polite and respectful of other people and not say “eww” or “yucky”. That is all I am asking. The polite picky people, you don’t even notice them, because they are polite about it. It’s the people that make a huge fuss and deliberately ruin everyone else’s meal that we are objecting to.
When I was a kid, the rule was, “If you complain about a food, you get a double helping.” Therefore, we smiled like loons and said, “Oh boy, sweet potato casserole! My favorite!” as we ladled out the one small obligatory spoonful.
Back when parents weren’t afraid to be parents instead of trying to be the kids’ best friends instead.
And as far as obesity epidemics, that started when women quit cooking at home, and in their laziness, decided that it was easier to take the kids to McDonald’s once or twice a week instead.
Mm, OK. That’s…really interesting. I actually appreciate that you shared this little nugget (ha!) with us, as it lets me know how much worth I should assign your opinions.
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And as far as obesity epidemics, that started when women quit cooking at home, and in their laziness, decided that it was easier to take the kids to McDonald’s once or twice a week instead.[/QUOTE]
Yes. It’s sad that men are genetically incapable of lifting a pan, chopping vegetables and turning on a stove. Poor useless things.
I always got the sense that there are very few picky eaters like DoperChic’s cousin in places like Calcutta or Sierra Leone. A week or so in a place like that might be enlightening to people of her ilk.
There’s a difference between “I don’t like broccoli” and “I only eat white or fried foods.” There’s a difference between “No, thank you” and “Ewww! Who eats that?!?” There’s a difference between “Try two bites” and “You have to sit there until you clean your plate.”
Or doing any kind of nutritious shopping of their own.
America is a big fat lard ass because women work. Well…instead of blaming the working mom, like the commentator does, why not blame the Men for not bringing in more money. Yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Heh. I was lucky to be the youngest of five. With my three oldest sisters, Mom had the “You must eat everything on your plate” rule. One night, there were lima beans with dinner. One of my sisters told my Mom “If I eat these, it will make me sick”, but she was forced to eat them. Immediately after dinner, she climbed up on our Dad’s lap, and promptly puked all over him! Thus ended the “you must clean your plate” rule.
He would be, if there weren’t so many women in the workplaces where formerly there were none. Bring women in, though, through affirmative action, and the wage scale drops.
If it’s not, how would you suggest that this issue be, ah, corrected? Perhaps during WWII, I think it was when women worked outside the home in male-dominated fields like manufacturing for the first time, we should instead of have stayed in the kitchen because it was “laziness” to try to make money for the household, help the country and cook and clean? And perhaps we’re lazy now because we not only hold down careers, contribute to our households and still cook, clean and do most of the childcare?
I really don’t understand your line of thinking. And since the workplace is now so reliant on women, what do you think would happen if more than 50 percent of the workforce suddenly withdrew to the kitchen?
“Now Beaver if they serve you something you don’t like you just eat it anyway.”
That’s the difference. I doubt kids are really any pickier today, but when I was a kid, if we went out, we didn’t dare raise a fuss and certainly we never would’ve had the nerve not to eat what was set out in front of us when dining out or at a neighbor’s home
Thus ended the “you must clean your plate” rule.