Week in review with Elijiah
For some reason this week with Elijiah has been wonderful. Kinda like a dance-a dance with a willing partner, a symphony which I have loved hearing every note.
I had a personal lull in December. I stopped planning my meals and felt the hurried pace of events and Christmas planning. I loved the season but also felt the rush of trying to fit in everything and didn’t feel the normal rhythm of family life. This week going back to school, cleaning up the house, food shopping and preparing, all got me back on track. I’ve been struggling with getting Elijiah to eat his dinner…ah the struggle each night! I wont even go into it here, but lets say it was miserable. Well this week I tried a new tactic. The “if you cant beat them join them” tactic. So Monday night I asked if he would help me prepare dinner. We got Tristan set up in his high chair and got him snacking so we could do our dinner prep. I had Elijiah wash his hands, get a small knife, cutting board, and veggies out, and had him be my prep cook. Well every night this week he has been excited to help prepare a meal. He is fast becoming very adept at his dicing and slicing skills and Ive been very excited about our good conversations as well.
One night we were talking about Jonathan and how he will be done with school in June- he said that he knows we will take a trip without him and that he wanted to prepare and “graduation” salad ALL BY HIMSELF that night just for Jonathan! So that night he did indeed prepare a salad- start to finish for Jonathan. It was hands down the nicest thing.
One of the days we were cooking, Elijiah and I were talking about Alcohol. I guess while he spent New Years with Khory and his family, there was drinking involved( of course- they aren’t LDS and it was New Years..) and he said that he didn’t know if he could refrain from drinking and that if he had a little as he grew up would it be bad? I said “WHAT” what got you thinking about that? He said well its hard, my family drinks and so many people drink around me and would it be a bad thing if I drink too? I had a long conversation about standards, and beliefs, and what we are teaching him, and that it doesn’t matter what people do around him…I told him that we all face temptation, and we have to stand tall, not do what others do, and stick to what WE know is right even if others make fun or tease us.
(Its really interesting to be having conversations about drugs, sex, drinking, with a 6 yr old. Makes me wonder what Ill be talking with him about when hes 12?????)
Back to the original topic of this post----I have to say that my little experiment has been true this week- Elijiah is eating better- he is more interested in dinner and finishing dinner- we don’t have him sitting at the table long after we are done-whining that he hates what we prepared etc. Im not sure how long his interest will last, or how often he will want to help, all I know is that this week has been great and I have loved every minute of the dinner hour, and it’s in large part to my little helper! Thanks Elijiah!
For some reason this week with Elijiah has been wonderful. Kinda like a dance-a dance with a willing partner, a symphony which I have loved hearing every note.
I had a personal lull in December. I stopped planning my meals and felt the hurried pace of events and Christmas planning. I loved the season but also felt the rush of trying to fit in everything and didn’t feel the normal rhythm of family life. This week going back to school, cleaning up the house, food shopping and preparing, all got me back on track. I’ve been struggling with getting Elijiah to eat his dinner…ah the struggle each night! I wont even go into it here, but lets say it was miserable. Well this week I tried a new tactic. The “if you cant beat them join them” tactic. So Monday night I asked if he would help me prepare dinner. We got Tristan set up in his high chair and got him snacking so we could do our dinner prep. I had Elijiah wash his hands, get a small knife, cutting board, and veggies out, and had him be my prep cook. Well every night this week he has been excited to help prepare a meal. He is fast becoming very adept at his dicing and slicing skills and Ive been very excited about our good conversations as well.
One night we were talking about Jonathan and how he will be done with school in June- he said that he knows we will take a trip without him and that he wanted to prepare and “graduation” salad ALL BY HIMSELF that night just for Jonathan! So that night he did indeed prepare a salad- start to finish for Jonathan. It was hands down the nicest thing.
One of the days we were cooking, Elijiah and I were talking about Alcohol. I guess while he spent New Years with Khory and his family, there was drinking involved( of course- they aren’t LDS and it was New Years..) and he said that he didn’t know if he could refrain from drinking and that if he had a little as he grew up would it be bad? I said “WHAT” what got you thinking about that? He said well its hard, my family drinks and so many people drink around me and would it be a bad thing if I drink too? I had a long conversation about standards, and beliefs, and what we are teaching him, and that it doesn’t matter what people do around him…I told him that we all face temptation, and we have to stand tall, not do what others do, and stick to what WE know is right even if others make fun or tease us.
(Its really interesting to be having conversations about drugs, sex, drinking, with a 6 yr old. Makes me wonder what Ill be talking with him about when hes 12?????)
Back to the original topic of this post----I have to say that my little experiment has been true this week- Elijiah is eating better- he is more interested in dinner and finishing dinner- we don’t have him sitting at the table long after we are done-whining that he hates what we prepared etc. Im not sure how long his interest will last, or how often he will want to help, all I know is that this week has been great and I have loved every minute of the dinner hour, and it’s in large part to my little helper! Thanks Elijiah!
1 comment:
Oh my...seriously, that is tough for Elijah. Being part of two families with different habits and beliefs. Isn't it crazy that they already wonder and think about that stuff? It's good though because you get to have those conversations now as opposed to when it will be much harder for him. Which is really important I think. Good work.
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