By Kathleen Guthrie Woods
I called my sister’s house just before dinnertime last night and was greeted with sniffles. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Someone is disappointed with tonight’s dinner selection.” Really? So now the 3-year-old won’t eat pasta with cheese, and his older brother refuses anything green (i.e., vegetables).
I don’t know how my sister keeps it up; I’d be a basket case if this was a regularly occurring reaction in my kitchen. My cooking may not be worthy of three stars from Michelin every night, but no one cries. And, if I let them, my two dogs would eat any and all leftovers.
Count this among the perks of living in a childfree home.
Kathleen Guthrie Woods is a Northern California–based freelance writer. Tonight she’s making Chinese Chicken Salad for dinner.
Life Without Baby 
I certainly don’t understand this. My nephew went through a phase where he had a temper tantrum if different types of food touched each other. My MIL gently took the plate back and scraped it all off and served him again. The whole situation seemed wrong to me. I wouldn’t accept that behaviour from an adult much less a child. Seems like the tail is wagging the dog.
We grew up eating whatever my mom made for us, and if we did not like it, we could eat bread and butter.
how lovely it is, when you come to the phase when you can see perks of living in a childfree home.
I can see more and more perks ….
Ahh yes…the perks indeed! I love food…and being able to cook whatever I want is awesome after a hard day’s work.
We ate whatever we were given. We wouldn’t dare complain. I remember once when I did, and I was left sitting at the table until I had finished my dinner, feeling sorry for myself, gagging at the (I think) sago pudding I had asked not to eat! I just don’t understand parents who end up cooking different meals for the different kids.
Some parents seem to cater too much to what their kid wants. The real world outside of the famililal bubble doesn’t work that way and it will not prepare them for disappointment or not getting their way as they “develop”!