That's my boy

Today we were all home in honor of Martin Luther King, and had a day of errands and appointments planned. One of those appointments was a doctor's visit for my son. We have a tradition on the days there are doctor's appointments......a lunch or dinner date to reward his bravery.

While most children's band-aided and swollen arms might be comforted with the thought of a Happy Meal, this is certainly not the case for my five year old. When asked where he wanted to go to lunch as we left the doctor's office, he yells, "SUSHI". Yep, nothing more soothing to my boy than a mound of raw fish, soy sauce, and sushi rice. We have often gotten very strange looks while dining out at sushi joints with my son. He knows exactly what he likes, eats sushi like a pro, and has been doing this since he was two years old.

Perhaps the fact that he popped out on the delivery table wearing Mario Batali orange crocs should of clued me into the fact that this kid was a born foodie. He scoffs at the idea of a corn-dog but is well versed when it comes to whether or not he wants to drizzle his pad thai with sriracha or sambal. I am grateful that his love of all types of food frees me from the chicken nugget slavery that I feel many mothers endure.

Introduce your children from the get-go to all foods you love. Just because certain foods are spicy or tart or something you may not consider feeding a babe, doesn't mean that they may not like it. I can pretty much guarantee that most ethnic foods are healthier than the over-processed junk that kids love. You can drop your short-order cook duties and serve the family a diversified and flavorful meal that all can enjoy, AND you can feel good about it.

So, yeah, I'm thankful that I don't have all McDonald's programmed into my GPS. While my son's culinary cravings may put me in the poorhouse, I'm glad that he relishes all types of cuisine from all countries, not just France's infamous french-fries.