I've blogged before about Jeremiah and food. He loves to eat. He does not love to share edible things at all. He will resort to down right theivery out of your hands or off your plate if he feels he needs the consumable item bad enough. We, of course, have been trying to teach him that you can't take other people's food. Since this crash course in etiquette he has done better.
However, the holidays proved to much for him. With too many delicious items to be devoured, Jeremiah developed a new method to ensure food would be his.
While at my grandparent's chili-buffet dinner, I was busy putting my kids' plates of food together. Pretty soon Claire comes running and yelling, "Mom you need to come here, you will not believe what Jeremiah did!" (Actually, I can believe just about anything when it comes to a 3 year old.)
Claire dragged me over to her cousin, Julie Ann, and there stood Jeremiah scarfing down a piece of garlic bread. Then Claire pointed to the aforementioned garlic bread and said, "That bread was on Julie Ann's plate. Jeremiah walked up to her plate and licked the bread! He licked it mom! Julie Ann had to give it to him. He licked it so no one else would want it. That is so gross and so rude."
I looked at Jeremiah who had shoved the rest of the bread in his mouth. I picked him up and asked if he had licked the bread. He nodded in the affirmative. I asked him why. "Because mom, it smelled so good and it IS so good and I love it so much." I explained that we don't lick people's food. I showed him his plate of food and said, "Mommy got you some bread, why did you lick Julie's?" "Because I just needed it right now."
Then today after Jeremiah had finished his lunch I saw him eyeing mine. I turned my head and I saw his head lower and inch toward my food with his little pink tongue starting to emerge. I spun around and snatched back my lunch just centimeters before contact. With my turkey sandwich rescued I again explained dining etiquette. Jeremiah said, "I'm sorry mom." I'm hoping this time the manners lesson sunk in but just in case it didn't for the next few weeks I'm going to be on the look out for Mr. Slick Lick
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4 comments:
"Hey!" back at you, girl. I'm glad you found my blog thru Colton. It's been too long! We are in the DC area now that my hubby has up and joined the Marine Corp. 'Last I heard you were in St. Louis. The blog world brings new meaning to the phrase "small world."
BTW, my dog, Lucy, once ate four pieces of bread right off a plate I left unattended for just seconds! You are lucky it was just a lick. ;)
I will remember that technique to claim food next time we are running low on chocolate!
That's hilarous, Rebecca.
So, do you actually FEED that child?? He goes around licking, sort of like "marking his territory" on the food he can see. . . nice . . . JUST MESSIN' WITH YA!!
He is a silly, but very SMART little guy. I mean, he's no dummy, that's for sure. Of course no other little cousin is going to eat food that he licked, thereby ensuring that it's all for him!!! His plan worked perfectly!!
Catherine--tell me about it! On New Year's he kept on eating. If I hadn't told him to take a break he would have eaten the entire 4 hours we were at my sister's house!
And yes, it's like an animal marking its territory. It's hilarious and sad at the same time.
People who are just getting to know us often ask me if he missed breakfast, or if he always eats that much, etc. This kid can put it away...
I keep telling myself he's growing, but I've been telling myself that for 2 years now. And he's still short.
Next thing you know he's going to start hoarding food under his bed like a squirrel or something. (:
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