…or,  Watch what you do and say because your child WILL repeat EVERYTHING, both good and bad.

The plan was for Thomas to go to The Shore with his dad for a few days, so we went ‘shopping’ in the fields for snacks for the trip. Kirby cucumbers, baby carrots and green beans are all great raw and hardy enough to store in a cooler bag for 2 days plus they have the added benefit of being the few veggies the boy will eat these days.

I’ve given up trying to figure out what his tastes are from day to day. Who knew kids were so fickle? I must have missed that chapter in the owner’s manual [insert eye roll here].  I just prepare what’s convenient for me or what I’m in the mood to eat. If he wants to try and likes it, WAHOO! If not, I always have raw carrots or cukes on hand and that can be his dinner vegetable. I cook enough (not saying I don’t enjoy it, but…). I am NOT going to be a short-order cook for a first-grader.

First stop: cucurbits.  I feel the need to pepper everything we do with something educational, so I showed Thomas how the teeny-tiny cucumbers are formed from the pollinated flowers.

“Hey! That looks like a character on Spongebob!” Fabulous. I guess there’s something to be said for his ability to pick up on the similarities between plant biology and animated icons of the 21st century?

So we finish up in the cucumber patch. I was going to completely skip the carrots since I had some in the fridge already, but I got the word from the boss. “Let’s get carrots, Mommy. I have a new recipe I want to try.”

I can’t imagine how many times Thomas has heard me say this very phrase, but it made me realize what little copycats kids are! I did a double-take then had to look away lest he discover the laughing going on beneath the surface. It was all I could do to not giggle as I probed deeper.

“Really, Thomas? What kind of recipe do you want to make?”

“I think we could cut up the carrots and cook them in the oven, unless it’s too hot – then we can cook them in a pot. And I think that would be really good on top of salad (coming from the child who doesn’t like lettuce despite having acres of the stuff in his backyard, but stranger things have happened).”

“Well, what do you think the salad should be dressed with?”

*SIGH*, he huffs, “SALAD DRESSING!”

Of course. How silly of me.

My 6-year-old has the attitude of a prepubescent girl. But Mom claims I had PMS from the time I was 6 so I guess this is par for the course. And when I don’t take it personally… it can be downright funny!

So not only did he copy my phrasing, but he imitated my attitude of sheer annoyance when asked a question with a seemingly obvious answer.

I’m so screwed when he’s a teenager.

 

All Contents © Kasha Bialas 2010