We've been bad parents (I know, you're all shocked!). As soon as she would finish her meal, we allowed Zoey to leave the table to go play in her playroom. This gave Ella and I a few minutes alone with each other to enjoy our meal and talk about our day. However, we began to notice that with each passing meal, Zoey would eat less and less just so she could leave the table sooner.
About a month ago, we put an end to all of this. Zoey now has to wait until everyone is finished before she can leave the table.
And it's not pretty.
"I'm done."
"Are you finished?"
"Are you finished yet?"
"How about now?"
"Now?"
Eventually, we have to ignore her. Then she just sits and sulks, staring at every bite that enters our mouths. It's our nightly ritual! And it's so much fun!
But she knows how to exact revenge.
Every once in a while, she'll turn the tables on us and eat her meal so excruciatingly slow, it's as if she's enjoying her Last Meal. And to make matters worse, she smiles the whole time, as if to say, "How ya like me now? It's not much fun when the shoe's on the other foot, is it?"
And then there are times like tonight.
Zoey ate about four bites of dinner, guzzled her milk, and ate a bite of bread. She then shoved her plate to the middle of the table and announced, "I'm done with this crap."
But she won! She got to leave the table before we were all finished with our meal.
Unfortunately for her, she had to go straight to timeout.
And yes, she had to return to the table once she had completed her sentence.
GHS: 2
I Don't Think It Was A Commentary On Ella's Cooking
