We ask if he wants to help with something, and respect any “no” — but he knows the two parents are doing tasks and not entertaining him (most of the time).

This is after 5 days in a row with all of us home all day from the storm, then one day at daycare.

We barely use toys anymore beyond building toys, balls, and things to hit the balls with. We were already leaning that way. (His school has a wide variety of classics, which also helps.)

When I got back from the store, the whole table was cleared off, and apparently (there’s video footage) he emptied the clean silverware from the dishwasher and loaded the dirty stuff in! This kid. SO AWESOME. He’s such a big help! doing seriously Big Kid stuff. We are so proud!!!!

Tonight I explained that I had to run an errand right after dinner. I turned to him and said, deadly serious, “Can you and Daddy clear the table tonight…without me?”

He gasped (love those gasps!) and smiled so big. “Daddy and I!” and then “together we can do it quickly.” 🥹🥹🥹

But I had unknowingly gotten *dangerously* low on iron last winter, and I am pretty sure that issue is resolved now. So maybe we will actually send the cards out this very month!!!

He says “no thank you” and “you’re welcome.” He asks with “please” at least half the time. Remarkably few tantrums, and very Logical except evenings after skipping afternoon nap. He’s silly! He’s clever! He sits for 60-90 minutes doing art! He’s the best.

What I mean is: you would never say we are spoiling him. But we show him the same basic respect that we would an older kid or adult.

We definitely do make him do other things, like hygiene and basic manners. He cannot scream inside nor take/smash something Dad or Mom are doing (e.g., magnatile tower). And if he doesn’t finish playing after the timer goes off, we just pick him up, etc.

If he’s working on a project (e.g., painting wooden butterflies) we ask before doing some of it ourselves. Kit had three butterflies, was a gift to him. Can Mama paint one? “no.” Ok, fair; I won’t.

We figured out a lot of stuff that bothers him by asking, and we don’t do those things. Like, he generally doesn’t like to be hugged or kissed, which is fair. We ask for consent and respect the “no.”

Right?

But veggies with cheese = very tasty, so she wasn’t wrong haha. Apparently you need some sort of fats (salad dressing, sour cream, etc.) to fully absorb the nutrients from them, anyway.

It’s literally a disordered eating cult! www.thecut.com/article/karo...

We are also pretty regimented about timing. Breakfast w/proteinf in the morning, snack at 9:30, lunch around noon, snack 3:30 at school or 4:30 at home, dinner around 7. He is HUNGRY by dinner time, which is ideal. And carbs aren’t served until he has a few bites of protein and veggies. It works!

We aren’t draconian about it. We let him have his Halloween candy. He gets something sweet at afternoon snack and dinner dessert, like cake or cookies I make, or a bit of candy when he had some. But not at other times. And it works.

He doesn’t eat lots of stuff. But even the pediatrician was impressed by how varied his diet is!

We lucked out with an easy-going kid. But also we have been exploring flavors since he was less than a yea old, a tray of vinegars and oils he’d dip cucumbers into when dinner was going to be late. We’ve worked hard at this!!! This is the only place I feel comfortable bragging.

He stopped enjoying mac’n’cheese a few weeks ago. It was only thing we served with, like, xanthan gum and emulsifiers in it, and good riddance if you ask me!

We have a large collection of herbs and spices, vinegars, oils, and simple sauces (e.g., mirin and soy sauce). Often we’ll have a half dozen set out and kiddo can dip food in different flavors, mix them together, etc. And noodles always have some sort of herbs on them, at minimum.

We eat meals with simple presentations—a vegetable or two, a protein or two, and a carb—but lots of flavor. No one is “hiding” mashed veggies in pasta sauces over here! If there’s broccoli, we are eating it as broccoli.

But all fully seasoned.