We have those ubiquitous Ikea plastic bowls in the assorted colours along with a couple other stray plastic bowls. But I don’t like using them for hot food. Then we have lots of grown-up sized bowls that go with the set of everyday dishes we got as a wedding present. We have some little Japanese-style rice bowls that I often use for the kids, two shallow bowls that say “pasta” on them, two small blue bowls and one Royal Doulton Bunnykins bowl. You can see where this is going.
The bowl is actually Colum’s. He got it as a gift for his first birthday or his baptism or something, back when he was our one and only. Irene, of course, LOVES that bowl more than anything and Colum is kind enough to let her use it sometimes. They take turns, is the theory.
Yesterday Irene helped me put together the first lentil stew I’ve made in years. I even boiled some lentils plain for baby Mary. I reached for the bowls and … they were almost all dirty. I had one clean Japanese rice bowl and the Bunnykins. I spooned some stew into each and set the Bunnykins at Irene’s place. Colum then complained that it was his turn for the bowl and if there are two things you can count on in this world they that kid’s sense of fairness and his impeccable memory.
So I tried to switch bowls.
There was screaming and crying. There was foot stomping and full-on thrashing on the kitchen floor. There was begging and pleading and hands thrown up in frustration and, you guessed it, Irene wound up with the bowl.
Irene sat up at the table with Colum’s Bunnykins bowl full of delicious (if I don’t say so myself) lentil stew and refused to try even one bite. She ate toast with butter and drank her milk and would not deign to place a solitary lentil in her mouth. Not one stinking lentil, people!
“That’s it,” I said. “If you don’t at least try your dinner tonight, I’m going to cook this every night until you do.”
So, guess what I’m making for dinner tonight?
2 replies on “Of Bowls and Lentils and Threats Made Good”
LOL and the funniest is that both my brother and i had these, but they were in the china cabinet never to be used. (i believe both were mine, but my mother “decided” one was his)
Anyhoo, all 3 of my girls ate their very first taste of solid food from that bowl!
Ah, yes. Kids and eating – battle of the minds!
Daughter decided she liked ‘little green balls’. Pick out all the peas from anything for days. Success! – she likes a vegetable! – I’m a good Mom! I am so smart—- then she announces ‘don’t like green balls’.