The banana tantrum

The banana tantrum occurred yesterday around 5pm. I took Toby in his buggy into  Bill's so I could get a cup of tea and a chocolate brownie and Toby could get some of his 5 a day into him as part of teatime. I ask the server if we could get some watermelon, as Toby had been rather keen on eating a little slice that was decorating a glass of juice when we had been there 2 days previously. This was instead of eating the potato, cheese and beans procured by his loving parents, but I digress.

What I didn't bet on was the finickiness of the one-year-old. What was greeted with joy and abandon two days previously was pretty much pooh-poohed 2 days hence. In fact, both literally and figuratively. But the point of the matter was that the watermelon was a non-starter. I can generally judge how successful an offering to the toddler gods has been by how much I end up wearing versus how much Toby is wearing. I was wearing a lot of melon and Toby had nary a pip on him.

Once he was done illustrating the displeasure of the gods, he started throwing his head back and arching his back squawking with the all-proprietorial  pointing that accompanies the state of wanting but not having. Oh lawks, I thought, he's spotted the Brownie. Duly, I slivered off a bit that didn't have nuts in and handed it over. He was kind enough to eat it and dribble a bit to demonstrate, this meal at least, he was willing to eat something but it didn't really cover what he wanted because as soon as he had eaten his sliver he began again with the squawking and pointing.

I turned to where his hand was indicating and behind me was a huge stack of bananas. I asked the server to add one to my bill and handed it to Toby, having loosened the peel. It was one of the biggest bananas I have ever seen and Toby demolished it in about 2 minutes, showing great displeasure when it was over, and even trying to eat the peel just in case.

The irony is not lost on me. There I was trying to feed my son melon, giving it up as a bad cause and placating him with chocolate brownie and all he wanted was a banana because he'd seen one and it wasn't something I actively offered him. Just like the melon 2 days previously.

So, next time we go to Bill's I'll order him several cakes, muffins and brownie slices and just make sure we sit near the counter with all the green vegetables. Then when he demands a plate of Savoy cabbage Mummy will just have to finish up the baked goodies.

Comments

[Karen]

Heh. Pete and I just read this and chuckled knowingly.

[anna]

Hi Relly
Just been over to youtr flikr account thanks for making me a friend:)
I cant believe you are a brighton girl, i am a born and bred brighton lass although i now live in cambridgeshire!!!
hugs
anna x