(Repost from October 9, 2012)
a brilliant plan
I guess you could say that my love language is,
words of affirmation.
Actually...it's not so much that I speak that language, but it's definitely
the language that fuels me.
Particularly at dinnertime.
Because I need to be inflated with compliments, even if they're fake,
over the dinners I slave over.
Slave over!
But truth is,
these people in my house just gobble up the food like ravenous wolves,
take their plates to the dishwasher, and walk away,
nary a compliment.
Nary a compliment!
So last night as I was making
Chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, and green beans,
I devised a plan.
Bwahahahaha.
It was a mighty plan.
I planted a one-dollar bill in my right pocket,
and a five in my left.
The first person to compliment me on my dinner,
would be quickly rewarded with cash.
(Yes, I've resorted to this.)
(We'll deal with my needy issues later.)
And we had a winner!
Lucy quickly said how yummy dinner was, right out of the gate.
Score!
Cha-ching!!
I handed my favorite-child-of-the-moment a shiny new dollar,
thanking her for her kind words.
Jaws dropped around the table.
Eyes were wide.
A cloud of disbelief hovered thickly.
Me,
"Well, now...it seems that it pays to tell Mommy that dinner is good, now doesn't it?"
And even more shock ensued when I pulled out the five in my left pocket
and told them that I was planning to give that one if a
big-kid happened to be the first to step up to rave over my meal.
But, it was Lucy who was the winner.
And I do think a valuable lesson was learned with all.
Positively brilliant!
(But I'm a little worried about where to go from here.)
The End.
Today's UPDATE: I can't say for sure that this plan did or did not make an iota of difference in my kids gushing over my dinners (not that my dinners are gush-worthy, but still...they owe me that much, I'd say).. They do compliment me from time to time, lucky for them. But I still think the shock value of this little experiment was worth every last dime. And perhaps I'll do it again soon! Just for fun.
3 comments:
Brilliant, just BRILLIANT!
The thing that will drive them crazy will be the waiting for the cash to reappear! BaHahaha!
Did you read the honey badger mom list? This needs to be on it!
I have to say, when I read the title- "How to get your kids to love dinner," or whatever it was, I was thinking that this was going to be some thought-provoking, wise parenting type of post. And I wondered whatever had happened to the Lori we know and love? And then I read the post, and laughed out loud as usual, and all was right with the world. :) Love it. (Oh, and that doesn't mean for one second that I don't think you are a thoughtful or wise parent! I just meant that...oh, you know what I mean.) :)
I loved the cartoon, that is me! I might just have to "borrow" it!
Tonight's dinner blackberry glazed pork tenderloin chops, stuffing, veggies, salad and rolls!
Something is not right in the universe for me to be making meals! The kids are still in shock!
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