From the Mother of a Picky Eater to the Mother of a Picky Eater

Mama,

I am so sorry for what I put you through.

I don't remember what I was like when I was a baby, but I've heard you say before that I refused to eat bananas even though the baby food I liked best was banana.

I now understand your frustration.

(I still don't like bananas, even though I let Tyler feed them to me in the hopes he'll stick some in his mouth!)

At the doctor's suggestion, I was giving Tyler chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast in his milk this morning, and I remembered all the mornings you cajoled me to eat something before school: instant breakfast, milkshake, anything?

I remembered how you said, "At least you're getting calcium," when we'd eat ice cream even though we hadn't eaten much supper.

I remembered how a mother of a high school friend approached you, concerned I was anorexic when I refused an afternoon snack. I had told her I wasn't hungry. In truth, I just didn't like what she was serving.

I remembered how people said we were spoiled because you would fix two or three dinners so everyone would eat. We were spoiled, but probably no one realized how desperate you were to get your kids to eat.

I remembered that you packed my lunch every day before school. How many PB&J sandwiches do you think you made over the years? I only ever ate PB&J or turkey, when I got older.

I'm starting to understand, and I'm so sorry for putting you through that!

I just hope I can be as patient and creative while feeding Tyler over the next 18 years as you were. Surely, I'll be empathetic, seeing as how he gets his pickiness from me!

I love you!