Meantime Mania

I HATE mealtime at our house. I mean HATE. I don't know how to convey in the mere written form how much I despise eating time. I detest it with every cell in my body. It brings the whine out in the kids and turns me into the ugly yelling mommy. I HATE mealtime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My kids are, right now as I type, sitting at the lunch table. Yes, it's after 2:00. No we didn't eat lunch exceptionally late. They have literally been sitting there for an hour and a half. Why you ask? Because, in an effort to bring some sanity to the table I decided that I was going to put the responisibly of eating all their food back on my children. Instead of the begging, pleading, yelling, threatening, crying that usually goes on at mealtime I decided that I would stop trying to make them eat. Instead I explained to them food costs money. That daddy works very hard for the money we use to buy the food. And that when they don't eat I throw food away, which is like throwing money away, and daddy works too hard to simply throw away money. So, whenever they don't finish something on their plate they are required to get money out of their piggy bank and give to me, to pay me for the food that I am now throwing away.

We have a family goal and we are currently saving for a trip to Disneyland. The kids get paid for odd jobs around the house or for toys they don't want anymore (a great way to dejunk I tell you!) and every precious penny goes into their banks so that we can go to Disneyland.

Realizing that if they are forced to pay me it will take us that much longer to get to Disneyland they don't want to give in. But, they don't want to eat, either. So instead they now sit at the table for hours, merely staring at the food on their plate. And teasing each other. And fighting with each other. And whining about their food.

It drives me INSANE!!!!!

Somebody please PLEASE tell me how you manage mealtime at your house. Seriously my next step is going to be a forced month long fast. Maybe if they get hungry enough they will eat anything I put in front of their face.

Some people's children

Adam: Mom, how long does it take to count to infinity?
Me: Forever
Adam: Have you ever counted to infinity before?
Me: No
Adam: Then how do you know?