Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Milk Wars Ended

Helen was breastfed until she was 30 months old and used a bottle for milk until she turned 3 (sometimes breastmilk, sometimes cow's milk). She would've kept using the bottle, but Ed and I decided that given she was perfectly capable of using a cup, it was time to ditch the bottle.

Since that day, Helen has complained about milk at dinner.

Let me put that in a little perspective. For the last two years, every evening that Helen has been given a glass of milk (which is almost all of them), Helen has complained about having to drink it. At home, she will only drink it from a particular cup, using a straw, and it must be warmed up. When she is away, the particular cup requirement is dropped. For over 700 days, I have catered to her milk peculiarities and listened to her complain. I have run the gamut of being really ramped up and ready to solve this issue to being rather lackadaisical about the whole thing.

I freely admit I am stubborn. But I may have met my match in Helen because two nights ago, after Ed and I put Helen and Connor to bed, I told Ed I was through giving Helen milk. Instead, I'll give her yogurt and cheese at dinner. The casualty, of course, could be Connor. He's a champion milk drinker - rarely complaining about the requisite glass, and recently pouring himself a second glass. I'd prefer he keep doing this.

So...in the milk wars, I believe everyone has been a loser for the last two years, but now? Point for Helen.

And two points for my sanity.

Elaine

1 comment: