Parenting Hack for Mealtime: The Awesome Way to Get Inquisitive Kids to Eat

Parenting Hack for Mealtime: The Awesome Way to Get Inquisitive Kids to Eat

I’m so glad that my husband is the father of my children.  He plays with our boys like he is a boy himself.  He teaches them good things and is a great Christian role model for them.  But the purpose of this post is not to gush about how awesome my husband is, but yet, the brilliance of one of his famous phrases that he has coined..

“Take a bite and I’ll tell you.”

Hubby started using this phrase when Captain Fussybuckets began a) asking billions of questions and b) being a picky eater.  We’d sit at the table and all the Captain wanted to do was play with his food and ask question after question after question.  That’s when my husband coined the phrase “Take a bite and I’ll tell you.”  Here’s how it works:

Captain Fussybuckets:  “Daddy, why do you like spicy food?”

Daddy:  “Take a bite and I’ll tell you.”

The Captain, eager to find the answer to his question, takes a bite and while he chews, Daddy answers:  “Because I like it.”  A few seconds later….

Captain:  “Daddy, did you like spicy food when you were a kid?”

Daddy: “Take a bite and I’ll tell you.”

And so this goes on and on.  The Captain eats his food, gets his oh so important questions answered, and we all have a pleasant meal.  Well, sometimes.  Obviously if the Captain isn’t hungry or interested in his food, this doesn’t work.  But more often than not, it does work.  And I like to think my husband is a brilliant parenting expert because of it.

But wait!  It doesn’t only work while eating.  Last night, the Captain had a burning question for Daddy, but it was time for bed.  So Daddy said:  “Go get your toothbrush and I’ll tell you.”  Worked like a charm.

Eventually the question and answer session has to end, but it works for both parties for a long time.  Hopefully this phase will last a really long time.

P.S.  If this is a common, widely known parenting trick, don’t tell me.  I prefer to think my husband’sidea was brilliant, and I think he does, too.