A revelation

My friend told me that when she runs out of macaroni and cheese, she is forced to make her son eat something he may not want. She endures the tears and tantrums until he eventually gives in and eats. It occurred to me (and please save the "duh's" until I am finished) that if I don't allow myself the safety net of mac and cheese, I will be forced to stick out the stubbornness of Jackson until he eats what is in front of him or goes hungry.

When Jackson was a baby he had consecutive ear infections. We took him to a specialist and she said the pacifiers were not helping matters and we should consider getting rid of them. I told my husband that we could not do this cold turkey. Instead, we would need to gradually remove the binky from Jackson's life. Later that day Jackson cried and I immediately reached for the binky. It hit me. He didn't need the pacifier, I did. From that moment on, I never gave Jackson a pacifier and he never asked for one.

I now have a new binky in my life. It takes the form of PB&J's, Mac and Cheese, buttered noodles. These are my safety nets, not Jackson's. And just like the binky, it is time to get rid of them. I am, however, predicting more of a struggle this time....