A low moment. A lesson learned the hard way.

Who made up the parenting "rule" that if you tell your kid something, you need to follow through? Darn that person! Night after night I cook dinner and night after night I listen to kids (mostly Parker really) whine and cry that they don't like it and won't eat it. We've tried not forcing him to eat and if he chooses not to then he doesn't get anything else to eat that night. We've tried just not saying anything at all so that we can actually have a peaceful meal. We've also tried forcing him to eat...tonight was that night. Oh how I wish I could turn back time. Why does being a parent hurt so bad sometimes? Two words, crocodile tears...and they were not the kids'.

Phil got a soft soccer ball so that we could set up the soccer goal downstairs and play soccer down there without breaking anything. It was his surprise for the kids tonight since he hasn't been able to give them much attention in the last week because he's been SO busy with work and church.

Well, we just wanted Parker to eat one small piece of onion and mushroom from the dinner I cooked so they could be done with dinner and go play with their dad. You've seen the scenario, we hold the fork with food on it up to his mouth and he covers his mouth and cries to not eat it. After much coaxing by Phil and getting no where, I reached major frustration and opened my big mouth and told him that if he doesn't eat the ONE bite that he'll have to go get his pajamas on and go to bed (it was 6:00p). So what does he do? Well, what he normally does, chooses not to eat it. So here I am, stuck in a heart wrenching dilemma. Do I give in and let him play with Phil (which is obviously more important than eating one bite of food) or do I stick to my guns and follow through with my word to put him to bed and hope that this one experience will help him to just eat the bite next time. Well, I guess it depends on who you ask, but in my gut and my heart, I took the low road. Off to bed he went.

Believe me, it killed me to send him to bed when I know he'd love more than anything to play soccer with his dad. But he was stubborn and I was stubborn and I felt like it was too late to take it back.

After some time of him crying, I went down to check on him, give him a hug and tell him I love him. What did I see? Parker in his bed, with stuffed animals all around him and Gracie sitting on his bed reading him a story. I asked Gracie what she was doing and she told me that she tucked him in bed, put his stuffed animals around him to help him feel better and was reading him a good night story. At that moment, I felt like I was the child and Gracie was the mother. I had to turn around, run to my room and cry.

Parker cried for a solid hour. I hate the choice that I made. Despite me sending him to bed, he still wanted me to lay with him and he still gave me a hug and kiss and told me he loved me. It amazes me how forgiving kids are.

You know, life is short and it will only be a matter of time I'm sure before Parker will eat all on his own without all of this drama. I realized tonight that this has been one battle that I don't want any more. I love that little boy so much and as much as I'd like him to eat all kinds of vegetables and fruits, I don't think that one bite of mushroom and onion or anything else for that matter is going to make him that much healthier. Honestly, one bite of food as opposed to a happy household and kids spending quality time with their dad and mom.

I don't know if Parker learned a lesson tonight, but I know I did.