The Joy of Eating

Eating is one thing that I take seriously from the very beginning for the little girl.

Enduring the first year of feeding three times a day paid in the future years and it keeps compounding.

Took off from 18 months, the first trip abroad to Paris showed, patience (always) pays. Wherever we go, whatever food served on the table, we enjoyed close to zero drama. Trapped in long flight hours with toddler wasn’t scary at all.

And it didn’t stop there, eat well mostly means sleep well. Both eat and sleep well contribute so much to overall health.

Up until eight years, close to zero day of being sick. No matter the weather. No matter how packed the schedule. No matter how far we traveled. Nothing disturb the mind other than dealing with a sick child. Having a healthy one means peace.

Eat and sleep are the root of all problems, not only in childhood but also in adulthood. One can’t do anything right if (s)he doesn’t eat well (balance of everything) and sleep adequately.

To have such skills, both start in the very first year of life and worth all the energy invested on them.

Seriously might be a soft translation of obsessive. Could spend an hour or more to just sit and think the plan for a whole week, back up one included.

When it comes to eating, it’s not only about the food, but the mood.

In breakfast, obligatory daily questions asked : “what do you want for breakfast?”

The answer must be : “what are the choices?”

Options are available most of the time, training her decision skill starts from simple thing like this and it’s not a small feat.

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast, said John Gunter. That’s why breakfast done twice since her early years. Light starter and heavier one later.

In deciding lunch, I choose what to serve by considering many other things such as what kind of day she deals with on that particular day, what subject she has on that day, how many and how heavy the afternoon classes she has after school,
How it feels when she opens the lunch box and see what she will have after a long day.

While for dinner, it’s mostly eat what is served.

Building a good relationship with food is one of the most important things in life and I want my daughter to have it right. Just like building relationship with any other things, building this one too takes time and patience.

Although it’s not always home cooked, but I hope the thoughts and prayers poured for and preparing the food will do her good.

Amin.