I had good intentions

We all know what road is paved with those....

I was really going to try this year to branch out on side dishes; do something more than just microwave some frozen veggie mix - MAKE THINGS! I was going to make things, to serve something more than steamed broccoli with a bit of garlic butter. I was even going to make a few veggie meals. But it's mid-August & it just hasn't happened. I still make the plans to cook these things, but by 6pm most nights just grabbing a bag of frozen peas & tossing them in the microwave seems an effort, especially since no one will eat them anyway. Peas coated in butter, peas with garlic, peas in ginger sauce, pea soup, peas with bacon. The boys will not touch them. It's draining - mentally & emotionally.

It's not just the peas or the veggies in general, it's everything. Just getting them to taste things is a miserable experience. One bite. That all I ask. Before you turn your nose up and announce "That's yuck!" to the room at large TRY THE THING FIRST!!! Just taste it. If you don't like it, fine. It's ok to not like everything. But taste it...please. I want them to like food, I want them to enjoy food. They don't have to be adventurous eaters snacking on fried mosquito larvae, but for crying out loud take a bite of chicken that is not coated in breading once in awhile.

I keep telling myself it is just a stage, normal & natural. But is it. Other people's kids seem to eat more variety, eat more willingly, don't shout 'yuck' when presented with anything but pizza for dinner. Other children will take the one bite without being asked or told to do so. I don't compare my kids to other peoples in anything but this. Learning to crawl, read, ride a bike, these are things kids do in their own time. They are skills you develop when you are physically & mentally ready to do so. What about trying food? Is this my fault? Are my genes to blame? My parenting? Somedays it just so overwhelming to me that all I can do is order pizza and savor the site of them eating something willingly.