Breaking a horse.

And now, the latest reason for implementing the use of a chart in our little household. A hint: it has something to do with food (and not eating it...ever...unless there's sugar in it... lots of it).

Yes, we're trying something new. Again. As Halloween approached, I dreaded the persistent requests for candy at all hours of the day. In the past I've succumbed to every request (as long as there was a please somewhere in the middle of it all) because I figured, hey, it's their candy. They worked for it (while I enjoyed the comfort of my warm home while sitting on my rear end, I might add). And eventually, it went away. But not before Lily had driven me absolutely batty as she fasted through every meal, knowing that there was candy lurking around every snack time.

Back to a few weeks ago. We were eating some sort of soup for dinner. Can't remember what kind, though I'm sure it was delicious, as everything I make most certainly is. (Maybe if I keep telling everyone that, they'll eventually believe it. Even Lily) She wouldn't touch it. I told her that she only had to try everything on her plate before leaving the table. She gagged a bit at the thought, then dug in her heels for a long night. I upped the ante, saying that she needed to eat one bite of everything on her plate before 7:45 or she would have to eat it all. I even set the timer. She complained. And complained. And then she complained a bit more. I played the trump card: "Lily, if you do not at least try everything, you will not enjoy a single bite of your Halloween candy."

Soon after, I warned her that she only had 1 minute left. She lifted a spoon, gagging some more, and started in on her mere spoonful of soup. Through her gags and cries, she missed the mark, finishing only after the timer marked her destiny as the trick-or-treater whose spoils would wait in the cupboard above the fridge until she can learn to try foods that are not accompanied by sugar.

I believe in repentance. She came home from trick-or-treating, her face bearing the stains of one sneaking candy the entire way, and I politely requested that she hand over her bag. She knew I was serious. I told her that she could earn her candy back by learning to eat, no just try healthy food (heck, I'm not sure if I believe in something that miraculous).

We made a chart. We call it Lily's Healthy Eating Chart. It includes the following daily tasks:
1. I, Lily, will eat at least one fruit or vegetable at every single meal.
2. I, Lily, will try everything on my plate for dinner.
Completion of these tasks for the month of November earns back her candy on December 1st.

Am I asking too much? Does it really matter that she doesn't eat anything good for her? Ever? It does to me, because my otherwise sweet, loving child is a basket case after inhaling candy at the expense of a satisfying dinner. I waffle between two philosophies - don't make food a control issue and, on the other side, candy is given only after healthier food is ingested.

I was destined to have picky children. I come from a long line of sugar-lovers. And Tim was notably the pickiest of his lot. I never dreamed just how picky a child the two of us could create when paired together. If Lily had been formed in a petri dish, I doubt that we could have created a genetic combination more finicky than the Lord saw fit to bestow upon us through dumb luck. Now, if only I had gotten all the good parenting genes from my side...