Milk and Madness

Hello, friends. Welcome back to the Milk and Madness podcast, where we explore parenthood one episode at a time. If you're new welcome. We are thrilled to have you join us. And if you're a regular listener, thank you for being part of our community. I'm your host, Dee.
And I'm your host, Nhi. One of the most stressful things I found about being a kid is, Kid is having enough food
there are times when he might love something and devour it one day only. To hate it the next day or the next week. super stressful and a fun fact. Did you know that kids may need to try or be exposed to something 10, 15 times before they start to think about trying it, you know, that.
I did know that. Although someone told me it was 36 times I was like, no way! going back to a previous episode, I don't just feel like their PA now. I [00:01:00] also feel like their dietician because now we've got to think about all the food and are they getting enough?
I have the same worries, right? Are they getting enough nutrients? Are they eating enough? Full stop, let alone the nutritional factor. And I know it's an essential part of life, but I'm going to say it. The phase with our learning to eat. was my least favorite. I hated making the purees.
I hated the baby lead weaning. I hated the trying to, give them something and then let them, wait to see if they've got an allergy to it. The gag reflex, that would give me, heart attacks I thought they were choking and it would stress me out.
the sticky fingers, messy floors, all of that, , it still gives me anxiety to this day. But overall, I really can't complain. my kids, yes, to what you said before, some days I'll eat something and they will demolish it and ask for seconds and thirds, especially at childcare
the next day they don't want to see it. that might just be a normal part of kids, possibly. So I can't really complain. They do try [00:02:00] things for the most part. They do eat for the most part.
my experience has been fairly good. I think it's just the stock standard. Complaints about feeding, my kids that I have. What about you? What's your experience been? my kids are chalk and cheese when it comes to food I'm a big appreciator of food. I love my food. I eat a lot. People often, people are often fooled by my size.
They're like, where is that food going? And I'm like, my metabolism's gone. It's pretty good. I don't know. I can attest. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, like my husband is, six foot tall and I often eat more than him, I really appreciate food and when it's good food, I'm like, yes, give it to me.
I have two boys, chalk and cheese when it comes to food, Kenzo, the oldest has always been difficult with food from day one, from, trying solids, really mushed up puree food.
We gave him a lot of congee, which is an Asian rice porridge, really [00:03:00] plain, just start really easy and simple and introduce flavors. slowly Ambrose on the other hand, I have, dreams of me and him going to eat buffets and just living the life, he eats everything.
He's open to trying everything. last night my husband made lasagna because the first time he's made that particular recipe Try it. Let's do it. Let's go for it. Ken's Oh my God, it looks gross. It's all mushed together.
He's very picky with flavors, with things touching with things being, mushed up He likes to see each part of the meal separately. I have some learnings, that, I did differently with Ambrose. from my experience with Kenzo being a difficult eater
he could just be a difficult eater, but maybe I, Allowed it more in terms of maybe I nurtured it more. whereas Amber isn't here's your food, mate. It's here. It's on the plate.
deal with it. He just ate it. Whereas Kenzo,and you buy this stuff cause it's available, those plates, those [00:04:00] kid plates where there's like little compartments for stuff. And so that's what we did from the start. chopped carrots here.
We might have rice in this section. meat in this section, I wonder if I never introduced that stuff, if he would be okay with food touching. He's a bit more okay with it now, but he's very particular, in terms of strong flavors.
And it's funny because there's some strong flavors he really likes and some strong flavors and smells. And he'd be like, what is going on? I'm not coming anywhere near that. it's really interesting, but yeah, two kids, chalk and cheese. One really difficult and still is, he's six now, and the youngest one who's three just eats everything.
Durian. Eat it. Oh God, Pretty much the only thing I won't touch. I'm not a fussy eater, but that's one of the things. My tastes have evolved as I've grown older, so, you know, you never know, but it is a thing.
So, the fear or dislike of food touching each other. I'm probably going to butcher the name, but it's called brumetactilophobia.[00:05:00]
I've totally butchered that. Anyway, it is a thing. Don't know if there's a test or something to see, cause I know adults that don't like it. back in their day they didn't have plates that separated things out. I don't necessarily think you've contributed to it.
maybe that's just who he is. Doing that has allowed him to continue not trying things but I wouldn't worry. I don't think those plates really do that, but who knows. Yeah, look, I've spoken to an OT about it, and she assessed all the stuff that I told her.
that he eats. And she's Oh, you've got nothing to worry about. So there are kids out there who are really, I suppose intense in terms of their food aversions. he likes fruit, some veggies
steak plain pasta nuggets, chips, hot dogs, all that kind of stuff. I feel like kids just gravitate to, it's they know it's not good for you and therefore I'm just going to love it.
But he, yeah, she said [00:06:00] to me, in terms of the healthy stuff that he is open to, he likes broccoli, he likes broccolini. He loves, potato in any form. He likes, So he's, there's still stuff that he likes. He likes cauliflower. So when I told her all that stuff, she was like, it's all good.
Don't stress in terms of his food. Aversions is pretty mild from her experience. I'm like, okay, that's great. So then my head goes to, Oh my God, those poor parents who have kids who's. Food aversions are really intense. that is so stressful. I think about it all the time. And cause Kenzo is quite small kids.
Like he's really skinny. shorter than other kids his age and I always wonder, is it because he's not eating enough? Is it because he's not getting enough nutrition?
even if the OT tells me, he's getting enough I'm still worried about it. making lunches for school has been stressful for me because I am worried. Is he getting enough?
it's going to be a worry for the rest of our lives, especially when kids come home and [00:07:00] half their lunch hasn't been eaten they go through phases especially when growing, they'll smash everything and then the next couple of days, they just won't eat or they'll eat very minimal.
And you're like, what's wrong? What's going on? Are you sick? What am I doing wrong? And we always put the guilt on ourselves. Of course, what am I doing wrong? But it's just, some days you're hungry. Some days you're not. you can't win really.
But yes, I know people who have got kids that I think one of my friends is very it's a choice. Like her kid, it's a choice. It's not she doesn't have an aversion to it because of like allergies or anything like that. Like she just is a picky eater cause she just doesn't want to try stuff.
She's stubborn, all that jazz. But then yes, you get kids that will only eat a particular type of food or very plain food, like no salt, no pepper. And so you'd have to carry food with them everywhere because they won't eat at a restaurant, not even chips and nuggets, So yeah, it would be a nightmare because it's already stressful to your point. you want to make sure that they're healthy and that they have enough energy [00:08:00] to play, to learn, and that they're fed, not hungry, that they're not underdeveloping physically as well as mentally.
And so, yes. okay, let's talk about your tricks. What has worked for you? Because it sounds even though Kenzo is a pickier eater, it sounds like he still eats. my kids used to eat broccoli, now they don't want to touch it.
has anything worked for you? Is there a way you've encouraged tricked or bribed him Do you need to try things or eat things? Yeah, I think I've tried everything you don't know if your kid's going to be picky eater until you get there.
So if you're listening and you don't have kids and you're thinking about having kids or pregnant right now,just be aware that this could be something that comes up, when they're about five, six months old. but yes, I've tried everything. I'm pretty sure in terms of.
Trying to help Kenzo to be more open. I just want him to be more open to try stuff. that's for me is the biggest, is the [00:09:00] thing that I really would like to try to encourage more with him. It's just the open to trying it, it's okay if you don't like it. I have no issues with that, but just try it and then make your mind up.
And I always refer to Green Eggs and Ham because he loves Dr. Seuss. We love Dr. Seuss and we've read Green Eggs and Ham a thousand times. And I'm always like, do you remember, he didn't know he liked Green Eggs and Ham until he tried. he's I know mom, I know. some days he's like, okay, let me lick this thing or whatever it is.
some days I don't care. I'm like, okay, sure. I'm not going to push it. the biggest thing I can say, and this is the hardest thing, and it will only come with time, is to try to stress less about it. the more stress you feel, the more difficult the situation is. That's the truth.
only with time have I been able to relax with food you put so much pressure on yourself in terms of making stuff, you put pressure on yourself in terms of trying to encourage him to eat you try everything, bribe them, [00:10:00] positive reinforcement make it a game, you, whatever it is, and then you Whatever stress you're feeling, they will pick up on that and it will only make it worse.
A thousand percent. that's my biggest advice. it honestly can only come with time if I turn back time, there's no way I could be like, just stress less Nhi. Oh yeah, sure. Whatever. , that's the biggest advice. The second thing would be as soon as you can get them involved.
in food. Get them to own their food. if you can get them to help cutting stuff up, you can get kids safe knives. You can get them to help mix stuff.
And I know you've been good with this because Aiden was cracking eggs early helping you bake. getting them involved early has really helped. Ambrose was so proud the other day.
he was mixing something and so proud. I'm like,you're my eater. So I'm not worried about you, Kenzo has helped, us crack eggs and help mix stuff, help cut stuff.
We haven't done a lot lately, [00:11:00] but in the past, even if he didn't like whatever it is that we cooked, he's tried it. Because he's gonna cut up the carrots or cut up whatever it is, it might not work the first time. It's about exposure for these kids,
they already don't want to try it. So it's, I'm not stressed about it. Hey, yes, cool. There's a salad on the plate, on the table. There's always salad on the table. Mom loves salad. Dad loves salad. Ambrose eats the salad and the salad is always there.
maybe after 10, 15, 20, times. you will smell the salad dressing, or try a bit of the salad, whatever it is, right? So it's all about exposure and doing it in a way that doesn't feel orchestrated.It's because we were all eating this food. So give it a go whenever you want
It's all good if you don't, but it's here if you do. No pressure.
And the other thing is, and you can decide if you want to do this or not, but we've always been against [00:12:00] making him his own special meal. we would make a variation for example, if we had pasta, everyone else has pasta and sauce mixed up
For him, he might have the pasta and sauce separately, but it's the same meal per se. I've read somewhere that, get them to choose their own food. in the past, I put everything on everyone's plate.and for him, I've would, purposely, cause I know he hates food touching, put food not touching, what I've read, and something I'd do more of is just have all the food on the table and let him serve himself.
he might not touch those carrots for a while. 20 times or whatever it is, hopefully eventually he tries. And if he doesn't look, it's okay. it's about exposing them to lots of different options so that, you're not limiting to chicken nuggets every night with chips that you are offering different options for him.
And the last thing that comes to mind in terms of, I think has actually really helped is educating them in [00:13:00] terms of food and Trying to create a positive relationship with food because as an adult, and I know I speak for lots of adults here, but a lot of us don't have healthy relationships with food,
I often don't have a healthy relationship with food because I gorge myself, I eat a lot. I should not eat this gigantic bowl of whatever it is. It's ridiculous, but I will because I love it. I feel absolutely full after. that's probably not healthy either.
I'm not listening to my body. I'm really trying to educate my kids on food. It's not a bad thing. even unhealthy food. Food is food. We need it to live. our body needs. Certain things to be healthy. We try to eat healthy. It's okay. We have a bit of chocolate or,whatever it is.
it's not a crime, you don't have to feel bad if you have chocolate or sugar, but let's make sure we balance it out. So Kenzo is aware of that stuff , I think he has a pretty good understanding, maybe more so than other [00:14:00] kids his age, in terms of food.
And he's, regardless of him being picky, I would say his relationship with food is okay. In that, if he's full, he's going to stop eating, I'm trying to educate them in terms of trying to listen to your body and trying to be balanced in terms of that stuff.
It's hard because they want chocolates, they want lollies. I'm like, it's okay. we can have that stuff, but let's also put stuff in our bodies to balance it out.. That's a lot of good key takeaways . One of the things I want to unpack quickly, because I had a conversation yesterday or the day before.
when you were talking about putting things separate on table and letting the kids take what they want. at Childcare, so I was talking to Amelia's child care educator, and Literally yesterday, I reckon, and they were talking about how they've just recently changed that.
So previously, the previous chef used to make everything in one, the kids would still serve themselves, but everything was in the [00:15:00] one bowl, or two, depending on what the food was. But now they've started to separate everything, and what she's noticed is all the kids who used to eat everything, used to eat the vegetables, used to do all of that, now don't.
And they have fits because, obviously the educators encourage them to put vegetables on their plate themselves. So I don't know if that's like an age thing, like that might be something like later on in life that they can then choose. Maybe, but she's found that it's actually done the opposite look, it depends on what the goal is, right?
If the goal is to give your kids autonomy and let them make their own choices, sure, obviously separate it out. But if your goal is to get more vegetables in them and, make sure that they're eating a balanced diet, then it might be worthwhile. Mixing it all for them, but still letting them serve themselves.
Cause I think that's really important. Like that, letting them serve themselves component. but yeah, she's found that Amelia and then some of the other kids as well, like just who used to be fine before now flat out refuse. So has backfired a little [00:16:00] bit,
the education side of things is probably the most important because I could tell my kids to eat fruit and vegetable until I'm blue in the face. but they don't really understand the consequences of it. And I can tell my kids not to eat sugar and lollies and chocolate
But again, they don't really understand the consequences of it. So same thing. I really try to explain to them and as they do at school and as they do at childcare and kindergarten, they You know, the food pyramid and the sometimes food and all that jazz. But when they want sugar, same thing.
Like I used to be really like anti sugar and if I can avoid it, yeah, if I can avoid it and if I can not, if I'm baking something, I won't put it in, especially if like I'm baking something with banana or something that already has natural sugars in, I'm not adding artificial sugar on top. Like what for?
I can control that, and I kept them away from lollies and chocolates for as long as [00:17:00] I could, I knew the day would come when they'd start going to parties, getting lolly bags, etc. And so I started the conversation about sugar early and I was telling them like how bad it is for their teeth, how bad it is for their brain, and when they do have sugar and they start going really hyper, I say to them, Do you remember when you had that sugar?
Can you see how it's affecting your brain? And then sometimes I'm like, mommy, I have a headache. I'm like, do you see that's the sugar go to your brain and it's hurting your head? it's okay to have, but just not too much. And so now when we go to the shops, if they want something, the first thing they'll do is I'll turn the pack is mommy, does this have a lot of sugar?
And I'll have a look and, pretend that I'm analyzing it. Being all smart and stuff, I'm like, this one does, but this one's okay. And I'll try and maybe like divert to something a little bit healthier or well, yeah, just a different option. and sometimes I'm like, Oh, this one does, but maybe we'll just have a little bit of it.
It has a lot of sugar, but we'll just have a smaller portion. So again, it depends on what the product is and how I'm feeling that day and all of that, [00:18:00] but education, as well as with a healthy food, because both my kids are really into sport.
And so I tell them like, you need to eat your vegetables and your fruit to get stronger muscles, to get faster. So your brain can learn and you can think, and you can process information. All those things. make sense to them. So if I say you have to eat your vegetables so that you can get stronger muscles and you can run faster, it clicks.
It clicks in their mind and they get it. If I turn around and be like,start rolling off stats order, they're like, no, I don't want to talk about lady. Yeah. It's the, what's in it for me mentality, So adapt that for the kids. And obviously it's appropriate for their age and level of understanding, as humans, what's in it for me?
why would I, yeah, why for me, why should I listen to you? Why should this be good for me? Whatever it is. But, you brought up a really good point was that, in terms of their food, aversions of food, how open they are to food, it could change depending on the environment because with you and, being their [00:19:00] parent and, if you're listening, probably their mom, they're probably going to be really picky with you.
Because they know they can be the real, this is what I'm feeling with you. Whereas in child care, yes, they will still get tantrums and they'll still get no's. But yeah, Kenzo ate pasta with sauce at child care. And I would have chat with the director, who we were really good, friends with.
And she'd be like, what are you talking about? He eats it. Yeah. He eats it every time. I'm like, what? What do you mean? Oh my God. No. And obviously good, but upset because he didn't do it at home. So just be aware of that. It could change and, as much as it could change with you day to day, it could also change depending on the situation and where they are.
And the other thing is. Just be aware that it changes. So I am basking in the glory that Ambrose is an eater. Love it. So happy about it. But you know what? He just turned three a couple of weeks ago. And if [00:20:00] someone told me in six months, he's going to be really picky with food.
Yeah, sure. I wouldn't be surprised because these kids. They change and they want to keep you on your toes. They do. And as much as I will cry, I will call you and I'd be like, D, oh my God. The world's ending. Ambrose doesn't want to try food.I wouldn't be that surprised because they do change. They're ever evolving little beings.
And, even grownups, as you said at the start, your taste Changes, your preference changes too. You are also not open to things that you thought maybe you hated. And then one day you decide, I do love durian. Who knows?
It's yeah, it's really interesting. it's one of those things where you can't predict what's going to happen. but just. Yeah, just try to stress less if you can. Yes, so did you know I actually asked the childcare [00:21:00] to give me the recipes that they were making because like I said my kids they were the only ones who were eating two or three bowls of whatever was made and I'm like What are you making that's so delicious?
Made it at home? Don't like it? But it is the same recipe, it is the same food. It's just made by me. So they feel like, to your point earlier, they feel like it's okay to say no, whereas at childcare all the other kids are eating it, so they just follow suit. And whereas at home, obviously, yes. And I learned this the other day, I don't know if it's true or not, but apparently children play up 800 percent more with their mums than with their dads and for anybody else for that matter. So just when it comes to eating, I know it's stressful. I know you're putting your all in there to make new, exciting, tasty dishes, but just take the pressure off. Start plain as well, don't go all crazy with different foods, [00:22:00] especially when they're babies, like it's all plain food.
And just introduce things slowly. if you're cooking something, put it, put something aside and then add your own spices and things for yourself, cause you don't want to be eating plain food. that's just boring. Unless you like plain food by all means. but yeah, don't be giving them like spices and garlic and strong flavors at the stock.
Cause They probably can't cope with that. and then just play by ear and just chill because they won't starve themselves. They will eat. They're not going to starve. They will eat.they might not eat for a few days. They can do that. Some stuff in years, my gosh, but they will eat eventually.
So I feel like so much about motherhood is that rule. It's going to happen eventually. It's like when we're so stressed about toilet training. it's gonna happen. It's okay. But when you're in the moment, you're just like, what do I do? Oh my God, someone help me. Is he ever going to go to the toilet?
It's gotta be a 40 year old man and still pees in his pants. I don't know, but it's just, it's like [00:23:00] a recurring theme of being a parent, of being a mom. And you just got to try to talk to yourself, but it's so hard because you haven't gone through it yet. The other thing is hiding vegetables, hiding healthy stuff is not, has not worked with my kids.
Yeah. Kenzo would be like, there's something in this nugget. I'm not eating it. Spit it out. I'm like, Oh God, it's so funny. Like they just, it's like when you try to hide the medicine in things, I just know that I can detect it. But, I have been reading on a few more Hyde kind of vegetables in recipes, and there are some that are apparently really great.
So I'm going to try some and I'll report back. Please do. There's one in particular that I'm like, this sounds amazing to me. It was like a dessert. It was like a chocolate mousse, but made out of avocado. And I'm like, I love avocado. Ambrose. Yep. All good, mom.
Let's eat the avocado. Kenzo. over my dead body, mom, can't touch it with a 10 meter pole kind of situation. So I'm going to, I'm going to try that because it's got hot cacao. And [00:24:00] anyway, so we'll, I'll report back, but try it. I don't have high hopes because avocado has a very distinct taste. I think I've tried it before and like on myself, not on the kids.
Like I've tried it before and I can taste avocado. So Amelia's fine. She loves avocado. So I just give it to her I haven't tried it with Aiden, but he doesn't like it. So I don't think he would.
you never know. There's got trial and error. There's got to be a recipe out there that you can get away with. Just try it. Yep. The other thing is, if you consider yourself like a budding actor, you're going to dial up the acting when it comes to food. I just have vivid memories and be like, Oh, this is.
This is so good, like a madman would be like, Oh, this is so yum. What is this? And if you do that with exposing them, like all the time, maybe in your head, you're like, maybe it'll just click that well, when they eat the salad, they're really excited about it. Maybe it is really great, whatever it is. But, yeah, you can have some fun.
We try to [00:25:00] have some fun with it too, but yeah, there is that stress. There always will be. The other thing that gives me more stress than anything else is going out to eat. Yes, tell me. I just, Amelia is fine. The worst thing about Amelia is that she just wants to sit there and eat a cup of ice. she doesn't even want to eat the food, but she will sit there quietly, whereas Aiden won't want to eat anything.
we order, he'll, make a mess, he'll want to get up and play, he'll He just We went out for my birthday a couple of months ago, and of course both kids decided they need to go bathroom at the same time, .
We obviously came back and so we're trying to feed them and I'm trying to eat and I'm like, this was, this is so stressful. I just want to sit down and have a meal in peace, quietly, and it's just impossible with my kids. Obviously, the alternative or the option is to give them an iPad or a phone or something to keep them there quietly, which, I see a lot of people do, and I get why.
[00:26:00] Totally, yes. But at the same time, I'm not going out to a restaurant, maybe if it was like in a group of people and I really needed them to be quiet, but I'm not going out to a restaurant. to have them just sit there on my phone or on an iPad. and I think it sets that precedence as well, that they will get a phone and iPad.
And I think, The other thing that kind of comes to mind about precedence as well is, with food especially, it's what you expose them to when they're little, where you can at the appropriate age, is what they know, and they won't know any different. one of the things that I actually heard, which I wish I'd done earlier, was, And I can't even remember who it was from, but they taught their kids that fruit like blueberries specifically were a treat.
So where I went wrong is we've got fruit, we have fruit every night, but then there's treats, which are like the sugary treats, like the processed treats are the treats.
Instead [00:27:00] of introducing treats as healthy food, which is my own bad,upbringing and my own bad relationship with food is that when I've done something and I'm really proud or I'm, exhausted or tired, I'll go to the processed foods instead of going to the healthy food.
So I want to try and change that. But yes, restaurants, back to restaurants, restaurants, I avoid like the plague because it's just, It's so hard. What are your kids like at a restaurant? Oh man, eating at a restaurant is stressful. I just have to say, that friend of yours who introduced the berries as treats, that is genius!
What?! goddammit, everyone do that! That is such a great idea, my god! But you know what I've done, just Similar tone to that is if we ever have KFC, McDonald's for me, and this is just what I call it. So they understand I call it lazy food and I say, it's not a treat.
There's absolutely not a treat. I'm really tired tonight and mommy is feeling really lazy and [00:28:00] I'm so sorry that I'm not going to cook a meal at home, which is always better.and do you want a happy meal tonight? I'm sorry, it's not as good, like literally that's why I say, it's, it's junk food, we're allowed to eat junk food.
and they still get excited about a happy meal . I'm just thinking if I set it up in that way, hopefully when they are older, they don't go and just grab KFC and feel like that's, you A treat in some way, no, that's when I'm lazy, that's when I, CBF in terms of cooking, that kind of stuff.
Restaurants, super stressful. Oh my God. We, it's like a big occasion when we do it. I've mentally prepared myself, emotionally prepared myself for it. Talk to them about it beforehand. There's a few restaurants we go to, there's this Vietnamese restaurant we go to that's close to my mom's. They know us.
We've been enough times. The kids make an absolute mess. All good. Not an issue for them. And I still feel like, I still tidy up a little bit. There's rice everywhere, that kind of [00:29:00] stuff. there's a pub that Matt and I used to go to all the time. Again, close to home. And, we brought the kids recently.
There's a big playground there, right? So we all sit down, we order our food, and then one of us takes them to the playground whilst the food is being cooked. And then when the food comes, we all come back and eat. So it's just, it's stuff like that, that you've got to really think about. I dream of the day that I can go to a nice, not nice, but Like a decent restaurant that isn't Nando's and we can,we can sit down and have a meal and it not be stressful.
Like I dream of that. I dream of it. I can't wait for that. And I see families go out and I see them eat. The other day when we were, where were we? Oh, I can't think. I don't know. I'm not sure where we were, but there was a dad and he had two kids and they were older than our kids. They were maybe 8 to 10 and they all sat there with their own little [00:30:00] pizzas and just talking and laughing.
I'm like, bless. I can't wait. I can't wait for that. When you don't have to chase one of them around the place or, they've gone to go see the fishes in the fish tank at the Asian restaurant or the throwing the nugget to someone's I don't know, but yeah, restaurants are super stressful. And again, I wonder if it's because we haven't exposed them too much.
for example, Kenzo during COVID obviously he was with home all the time. We didn't go out much. they know. When we go out for dinner, it's a big thing. It doesn't matter where we're going. It could be like the dirtiest, cheapest place ever, but it's still a big deal because we're going out.
yeah, it's just, yeah, stressful. I'm totally with you. I'm totally with you. One day we will all be able to go out and they'll sit quietly and behave. Today's not the day. [00:31:00] Before we wrap up, there's just one more thought. Sorry, clearly this has been something I've thought about a lot, but , if you're a parent of a kid or kids.
That are difficult with food. And you're going to be stressed about this. You just can't not be stressed about it, but they're going to be nights we CBF, they're going to be days when you know what, I'm just going to put some weetbix, whatever it is in their lunchbox. I'm done with it today. And that is okay.
don't be so hard on yourself because if you're beating yourself up on it all the time and you're feeling like you're going to make all this extra stuff or you're going to do all these alterations and it's super stressful. It's okay if you go get Maccas a night, whatever night, it's okay if, every second Thursday is a pizza night, whatever it is, just do it to help keep you sane, and to try to reduce that stress, but it is totally okay if you cannot be stuffed, to deal with the stress, the yelling, the hate this, what is this stinky [00:32:00] food situation?
Let it go for that time. And then, when you, the next night or whatever you try again. But, yeah, I think that's a big thing too, because I know I've beaten myself up throughout this journey because I'm like, why I've tried everything, like what's going on, All right. Pizza night. It's what it.
Yeah? Sometimes when you let it go, it all just falls into place and you're like, oh, is that all We beat ourselves up enough about everything else. Let's let some things go and don't stress. if you send your kids to school with in their lunchbox, they've just got two plain pieces of bread.
Don't worry. I've done that. Everyone else is. Yeah, I have done that. I've literally,yeah. Oh, don't worry. Kenza doesn't touch sandwiches. I can't make him a sandwich. And so I have bought fresh bread, cut it into triangles or whatever. Plain. Yeah, that's fine. That is perfectly fine.
And if somebody hasn't done it yet. But their time will also come,just don't stress. Okay, [00:33:00] so as we wrap it up, lunch pun intended, we, as well as all the parents we know, and probably all parents everywhere, find feeding a challenge, if not, please, don't. Tell me your secret. What we suggest is to not force kids to eat something that they don't like. After all, there are foods that we as adults don't like, durian, for example, for D,obviously it doesn't mean that get to eat what they want all the time, but there is more effort involved when your kids are difficult eaters.
As we always say, every family is different. There's no one size fits all approach. And that includes feeding and food.we hope today's conversation has given you some food thought as you navigate your own parenting path. If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, leave us a review share it with every single person, you know.
Thanks so much for tuning in to Milk and Madness. This has been Nhi and Dee. Until next time, catch you later, friends. [00:34:00] Bye.