[Parenting Diary] Not a Vegetable

My eldest son (5 years old) is a picky eater, but for some reason, there are a few vegetables he can eat. Below are the vegetables my eldest son insists are 'not vegetables' and eats willingly.

I think broccoli is 'The Vegetable' in both appearance and taste, but for some reason, my eldest son loves it. And since he seems to want to keep his identity as someone who hates vegetables, he says with a smug look, 'I hate vegetables. Since I can eat this, broccoli isn't a vegetable.'

I don't really understand what he's saying.
(© Sandwichman)

The power of words is great.

Especially when using them with an eldest son who takes words literally, one must exercise the utmost caution. I have been tormented by my own words that I once said casually.

*

Going back about a year ago---.
One weekday morning, as I was heading to the bus stop to put him on the kindergarten bus as usual, my eldest son (then 4 years old) said, 'I'm too tired to walk,' so when I said, 'Then shall we run?', he let go of my hand and my eldest son really started running.While turning pale, I pushed the stroller with my second son (then 0 years old) at full speed to the bus stop, and with the same intensity as saying, 'Hey you, stop that car!', I chased after him while shouting, 'Stop, stop, stop!!'

On that particular day, all the traffic lights on the way were green, and it was non-stop to the bus stop. Usually, that would be a lucky day, but that day was an unlucky day.

No, if he had kept running with that momentum, there was a good chance he wouldn't have stopped even at a red light, so perhaps that day was a lucky day after all.

It was a day after the peak of midsummer had passed, when I seriously thought about what on earth a 4-year-old means when they say they are tired.

*

However, the other day, I was tormented by my own words again, having learned nothing. Using my eldest son's 'not-a-vegetable' theory, I decided to try telling a big lie.

Perhaps my past life was that of a losing gambler. In life's choices, I tend to choose the more nerve-wracking option when I'm hesitant.

Me 'This isn't a vegetable, so why don't you try eating it?'

What I recommended was cabbage, clearly a representative of 'The Vegetable.' After looking confused for a while, my eldest son seemed convinced, saying, 'So this wasn't a vegetable!', and took a bite of the cabbage.

(...Did it work...???)

Eldest son: 'It's a vegetable!! Mom, don't lie!'

For nearly an hour after that, my eldest son had a tantrum bordering on a panic attack.

Beside him, my second son (1 year old), who eats anything, completely shut out his older brother's loud shouting and was silently eating his meal by himself.

The power of words is great. (Second time)

I think I will be careful about making thoughtless remarks from now on, for real this time.

It was a day when the peak of midsummer had not yet passed, and I seriously wondered what on earth a vegetable that isn't a vegetable could be to a five-year-old.

#LifelongActiveGambler