I Tried It

With our annual pilmagrage to the East rapidly approaching filled with the too-many-to-count family dinners with cousins I was at my wits end. All 6 of the cousins are under 3 and all will apparently eat anything that is put in front of them...except mine. Its pretty embarrassing when someone has slaved all day to make a fabulous meal and your kid will eat a roll if we're lucky.

Enter the "I Tried it Chart". Every time he tries something new he gets a sticker. Three stickers, got him a lollipop, 8 stickers gets him an ice cream cone and 13 stickers gets him a new matchbox car. We're on day 4 and have already eaten the lollipop and are 2 away from an ice cream cone.

We think its working and he's not just working the system. The first couple of stickers were earned by us pushing the stickers and reminding him constantly of the reward. He would spend 10 minutes staring at the food before taking a tiny bite. Tonight, he immediately picked up his lumpia and then went straight for the edamame - a two sticker night - with little reminding from us. Currently he just has to take a bite to get a sticker. The next chart will require 2 bites.

It's not perfect but we had to try something. The cards are stacked against us - a picky mom and a picky dad do not help matters.

So if you see us break out a sheet of stickers and a piece of construction paper with little boxes on it at Christmas dinner, you'll know what we're doing.