How many of you have memories of sitting at the table hours after a meal finished because you didn’t eat everything or refused to try a morsel of broccoli, brussel sprouts, or beets?
I do.
And if you asked many in my generation why we were told to eat the particular item, we would have said something like, “Because my parents told me to.” Period.
Now that I am the parent, I find myself “encouraging” my children to eat healthy and balanced meals. The problem is that I stick to the common because-I-said-so technique and never train the child’s heart.
The idea of a “thankful bite” came from the Focus on the Family free magazine Thriving Family. And, as soon as I heard it I was reminded how I must take the time to move past the easy and point all training to God. Plus with Thanksgiving right around the corner, this is a perfect time to introduce it.
Now when my children don’t want to try a bite, we discuss how we need to be thankful for God has given us in food and our bodies. The child is then told to eat a “thankful bite” to show gratitude to God for what we have been given.
Both methods could be effective. But one method teaches the child to obey the parent while the other teaches the child gratitude and thanksgiving to God.
I love this idea! I have such a hard time getting my middle child to try/eat things he might not like! He used to have to do a "no-thank-you" bite, but that has fallen to the wayside, unfortunately. Going to try this one. 🙂
Glad it helped!