Morning Conversation with a 3 year old . . .

After Riley had been up about 20 minutes this morning, he came into my office and said 'Momma, I will really love some popcorn.' like he was 30, instead of 3.

'Popcorn? How about breakfast first?'

'Yes, I really love popcorn for breakfast'

'How about something healthy first?'

'Yes, popcorn is healthy'

'No, popcorn is not really healthy. Let's have some healthy breakfast first.'

'Yes, popcorn for breakfast. It's healthy. You got some popcorn!' (Big grocery shopping was on Sunday - I have everything.)

'Sweetie, I know I got popcorn. I don't mind you having popcorn for a snack, but you need to have something healthy first. How about a banana?'

'Okay, ONE bite of banana.'

'A whole banana'

'ONE bite of banana'

'One WHOLE banana'

Riley picks banana. I peel banana. I remind him to eat whole banana. He eats one bite and leaves the remainder on my bedroom floor and then tells me he has done this.

'Okay, I eat ONE bite of banana. Now, I will really love popcorn.'

'Five bites of banana, Riley'

'Noooo-hooo'

I put my foot down. I insist that no popcorn will be made until banana is eaten.

'Momma. I'm really, really mad. We are so mad at each other.'

'I'm sorry you are mad at me Riley. Let me know when you are done being mad at me and you are ready to eat something healthy.'

I make my way back to office and find empty banana peel. It has moved all by itself. Riley is currently pouting on living room floor. I suspect one of two dogs as banana eating culprit and discard peel.

I venture to kitchen to refill coffee. Riley has sensed correctly that I might be serious and is looking for his banana.

'Where is my banana?'

'It's gone. I think one of the dogs ate it.'

'Nooooo. Not fair. I want my banana in the floor.'

'When you leave food in the floor, the dogs eat it. I'm sorry. Would you like another banana?'

'No. I want MY banana.'

I start typing this blog and a few minutes later Riley ventures in.

'Momma, I don't want breakfast. I just want a nack.' Riley still calls it a nack instead of snack.

Snack can sometimes be code in our house for a healthy option.

'What kind of snack?'

'Popcorn!'

'Sorry sweetie, you need to have something healthy first. We don't eat popcorn for breakfast.'

Much pouting and whining ensues. I keep typing. It gets quiet.

'Momma! I want Shrek!' Said in an almost demanding way, since I wasn't taking his demands for popcorn seriously.

'Okay, I'll put Shrek on.' Riley chose another battle. One he could win. He's stopped asking for popcorn. In about 10 minutes, he'll be ready to eat again and will probably be more amenable to a healthy option. He might even forget all about popcorn, at least until lunch time.

Scooter just wandered out of his bedroom and came to ask me if we were having a party in my office.

'Mom, is Tyler here?'

'No. He's at school.'

'I thought he was eating breakfast. Was that Riley?'

'Yes.'

'What did you tell him 5 bites of?' Guess he was laying in bed listening for a while before getting up.

'A Banana. I told him he had to eat something healthy for breakfast before he had a snack.'

'What snack did he want?' Said with a suspicious air, like it might be something he wanted too and wanted to gauge my response.

'Popcorn'

Big, sly grin from Scooter.

'Popcorn? You can't have popcorn for breakfast!'

Makes sense to me and the four year old who likes popcorn when it's made, but never thinks to ask for it. Not to poor Riley who loves popcorn and would eat it all day.

Some days it's tough being the little guy who doesn't get to make any decisions.


God Bless You and Keep You Today!