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Anyone have reverse picky eaters or "health nuts"? LOL


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You usually hear of children who are picky eaters and will only eat hot dogs and Kraft Mac & Cheese. I have the opposite probem. Usually it isn't a problem but I think it kinda compounds the whole, "your kids are weird" thing that they already get because they are homeschooled.

 

I have well-adjusted children who simple dislike normal kid foods (they aren't rude about it. They just say no thanks). I tried giving them Kool-aid for the first time today and neither one of them drank it. DD asked for water and DS wanted milk. Sugar and food coloring? What's not to love? They don't eat Kraft Mac & cheese (b/c I've always made it homemade so they think it is salty). They don't eat white bread or rice. They don't eat candy. I literally throw it away (after Holidays) because it sits around.

 

I LOVE this about my kids but sometimes I'm a little embarrassed just because my non-homeschooling friends think my children preferring healthy food is some kind of commentary on their parenting skills. Does that make sense? Anyway, just a mini vent. I don't really know that I can do anything about it. Seems like many of my "friends" who take issue with my homeschooling are willing to jump on anything that makes my kids stand out from the crowd. Grrr.

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Sort of . . .

 

I have a ds who refuses to take fever reducing meds when he's sick because he wants the fever to fight the infection. Now, I'm all for that. But, when his fever is rising and he's halucinating in the middle of the night, I need him to take something!!!

 

Really, this is a good problem to have in the long run!! To me, it means you've done something right!!! Good job mom!

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LOL This is my oldest son. While he's picky about some very healthy food, he actually cried about going trick or treating this last year because "everyone gives fruity candy and I hate that horrible stuff!!" (not that I was forcing him to go or anything!) He doesn't mind chocolate (wise child this one) but anything with food coloring in it that tastes fruity makes him gag. This and he makes lists of healthy foods that he plans to eat and wants put on the shopping list. :D

 

My second son, while he would eat a pillowcase full of "evil fruity candy" also LOVES brussel sprouts, asparagus, spinach, etc... My third is very even keeled about all things food and the toddler eats anything and everything; spicy, mild, sweet, salty... anything.

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Oh good - it's not just my dd. My dd7 is just like you guys have described!!! She is such a health nut! Now granted she has seen me reading food labels a lot more these last few months.... I'm watching for stuff cause of dh's cholesterol / homocysteine issues and now I'm shopping for more of the organic fruits / veggies (primarily for juicing) and for less processed foods. It all has been evolving in our diet over the last couple years but it's been more of something I'm aware of because of all the reading I've been doing in trying to have a positive affect on dh's health. We discuss things while food shopping so she is aware of what I'm looking for and which foods we "should" eat. (not that we always do... but I *try* lol)

 

Dd7 has really picked up on it and says we shouldn't eat out - we shouldn't do this - we shouldn't do that. I know but.....all things in moderation!

 

She actually was at a birthday party last weekend (another hs friend) and she told the mom she didn't want any birthday cake because it had corn syrup in it! She didn't want any pancake syrup in the morning because it had corn syrup and wasn't "maple" syrup! Course.... she also told the mom she couldn't drink the milk because it was only 1% and her mommy ("me") only lets her drink 100% milk. (had to laugh at that one!)

 

Now my other dd's love sweets - but lately are harping that everything we eat should be healthy.....so I guess the "healthiness" is spreading!! :eek: I've created little health monsters!!! ;)

 

:D

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Yeh, I know the bean dip thing. Sometimes though I want to take that bean dip and....well, you know. fryingpan.gif

 

And yes, it would be nice if I could make boxed mac & cheese for a quick lunch every now and then. I do try to stay away from processed foods but every now and then wouldn't kill us. burger.gif frenchfries.gif

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My kids are healthy eaters too... no soda, no junk food, very little candy. They are also foodies (like dh & I) so they love to try new foods and recipes.

 

Ds10 had his best friend over for dinner the other day for the first time. They usually play earlier in the day. Anyway... the boy was all weirded out by the pita bread. He liked it, but kept going on and on about how he had never had anything like it before.....uhmm, it was pita bread not some bizarre alien concoction. I find out later from his mom in casual conversation that he had never had anything made with whole wheat before :eek: and that he thought it was fun (but weird) that we made it fancy and ate at the table. Again...uhmm, we eat at the table almost every night. She thought we had gone to some special effort becasue we had a well-rounded home cooked meal at the table (chicken breast, rice, salad, pita, tahini). The only thing that we did different from normal was roll up a fifth chair. When ds eats at their house it is always fast food or pbj on white bread in front of the tv.

 

That brings up another question I have been thinking about. What do you do when one of you dc's friends has atrocious table manners? For example licking the butter serving knife that is on the butter plate and being used by everyone (yes, this did happen the same night). Dh and I sat quietly, but ds was obviously a bit embarassed by his friend. It is surprising because the friend is an otherwise exceptionally polite young man. The next time he came over for lunch we had the kids eat without dh and I because it is too much too stomach (sorry, bad pun).

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And yes, it would be nice if I could make boxed mac & cheese for a quick lunch every now and then. I do try to stay away from processed foods but every now and then wouldn't kill us. burger.gif frenchfries.gif

 

Have you tried Annie's organic mac - n- cheese? Our regulary grocery store carries it though you can get it at Whole Foods and PCC too. It's still in a box and really easy to make - but it is supposed to be a lot healthier than Kraft!:)

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That brings up another question I have been thinking about. What do you do when one of you dc's friends has atrocious table manners? For example licking the butter serving knife that is on the butter plate and being used by everyone (yes, this did happen the same night). Dh and I sat quietly, but ds was obviously a bit embarassed by his friend. It is surprising because the friend is an otherwise exceptionally polite young man. The next time he came over for lunch we had the kids eat without dh and I because it is too much too stomach (sorry, bad pun).

 

They're a delightful family, and we love them to death, but oh, my word, are meals with their children an interesting experience. They're 6yo, and 4yo. They kick (the table, each other, my kids, my DH), they throw food, stand on the table and scream, complain about the food, repeatedly get up from the table and try to bring toys to the table (a no-go at our house), or get into the fridge to "get something better"... it's a little exhausting to have them over for supper.

 

However, they're children, and they won't learn if they aren't taught. At first, I waited for their mother to step in and say/do something. Then I realized she just doesn't 'see' it. (I know. I know. Just love 'em where they're at!:D) So, DH and I step in. We correct them gently, lovingly, but consistently and persistently and without backing down one iota. At first, they sassed back or argued. But they've improved so tremendously in the last year. They're learning what we expect. They've learned how to engage at the dinner table with our family. I have no idea what meals at their house look like (we won't eat over there), but at our house, they're getting nicer when these kids are over.

 

I know our situation is a little different than yours, but I bring it up to point out that it happens, and it happens even if the parents are there. In your situation, I don't think it's inappropriate to quietly say, when he licks the communal butter knife, "You know, sweetie, we all use that knife, so we don't really want to put in in our mouths and then back into the butter. It's sort of like double-dipping. Here, let me switch that out for you." Switch out the knife, put a pat of butter on his plate, and then bring up something else to talk about so he doesn't feel like a turd in the punch bowl for being called on his behavior.

 

Just simple, gentle, consistent things can really make such a difference. If he's a friend, and he's going to be a part of your lives, then you can help him and keep him close and welcome (kwim?) and not let something as little as not knowing what to do be something that drives him out of your dc's life.

 

HTH :)

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I have a ds who refuses to take fever reducing meds when he's sick because he wants the fever to fight the infection. Now, I'm all for that. But, when his fever is rising and he's halucinating in the middle of the night, I need him to take something!!!

 

LOL! I have one of those, too. "Does that Benadryl have artificial coloring in it? Do you think I really need it or should I try to let my body do it's job?" And then there's my little junkie: "Kin I hab a Ty-nee-nol? How 'bout a vitamin? Kin I try dat purple stuff up on that shelf? I fink my forehead is hot. I frowed up on the porch [that was last year!] I fink I need some more meh-sin so I don't frow up again!" And on and on...

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