Dylan and I are having a standoff over new food…again! (FYI: New food is anything Dylan won’t eat, including but not limited to chicken, turkey, meat and pizza.) Finn McMissile with “shooters” is at stake. Let me explain.
My Shopaholic Mini-Me is obsessed with Cars 2 and buying Cars 2 toys. I’m definitely guilty of buying the boys a few cars from the movie, but Dylan has taken it to a whole new level. Yesterday, he declared it was “Toy Day.” Silly us, we thought it was the 4th of July! He assumed that meant we would go to the toy store and buy new toys and then play Cars 2 all day. My interpretation was a little bit different. I filled several bags with old toys to bring to Goodwill. (Yay, Shopaholic Mama!)
This morning, Dylan told me he wants Finn McMissile with “shooters.” I said, “Fine, but you have to earn it. You have to eat a new food. Chicken, turkey or pizza. You choose. If you take a bite, I’ll take you to the toy store.” Can you believe this is even a battle? Eating pizza for a toy?!
Yesterday afternoon, Mike went swimming with the boys. As soon as he opened the pool fence, Riley jumped right in and swam like a madman until Mike literally forced him out. Dylan, however, wouldn’t put his feet in the water because he decided he was afraid of (1) pool chemicals and (2) a spider in the water. We explained that pool chemicals keep the water clean and clear and that that they don’t hurt people (and that he’s gone in the pool a million times before!). Mike even skimmed the pool to get rid of every bug and imaginary spider he could find, but it didn’t matter. Dylan decided he was afraid and that was that. Frustrated, I took him inside while Riley frolicked in the water.
Sometimes I have all the patience in the world to deal with Dylan’s anxieties. He gets it from me, so I have a lot of compassion. Other times, though, I just get frustrated. When I see Riley swimming with abandon or eating chicken or doing forward rolls at My Gym, I wish Dylan could be more like him. This is where Mama Guilt swallows me whole.
I don’t really want Dylan to be more like Riley. Believe me, he’s perfect just the way he is. But I do wish I could figure out how to get him to let go. And if I ever figure it out, maybe I’ll learn to let go, too. Until then, it’s a standoff. New food for Finn McMissile. I have a feeling no one’s going to win this one.
The Runaway Mama by Jen Gregory 