Momnesia

Peer Pressure Hits Kids Younger, Moms Say

AUGUSTA, GA - I knew that I'd have to teach my child to deal with peer pressure through humor and aplomb before the social gauntlet knocked her down. I just didn't think I'd have to do it today.

"Whatcha want for lunch tomorrow, Doodlebug?"

"Nuffing."

"Okay... How about some salad?" I said, knowing that would get a reaction from her.

"Salad?!" She laughed. "I don' want SALAD!"

"Hmmm. Then what shall we make?"

"Can I hab some ice cream?"

"(Laughing) No, honey, it would melt before lunch time. How about the ham and cheese that you picked out at the store?"

"No. How about peanutbutterjellywithhoney?"

"Oh, alright." I set about making the dreaded sandwich. "Do you want an apple with it?"

"No."

"How about some oranges?"

"No.

"How about a banilla bar?" That's what she calls a granola bar. We get the cherry-chocolate and the honey-almond Kashi bars, or something similar, and she's been eating them enthusiastically since she was old enough not to choke on them.

"No."

"Strawberry fruit roll-up?" Try the organic pressed-fruit rolls by Fruitabu. It's just fruit. No corn syrup or anything.

"No."

Something was wrong. I stopped and looked at her. These were favorite food items she was turning down. Was she still too sick to go to school?

"Why not, doodle?"

"I dunno."

"Emmie, what's wrong with the banilla bar and the fruit roll-up?"

"Ebbrybody goeend say 'eeewwww,'" she said, with a frown on her face. "All da kids."

"What?"

"Dey say 'eeeeewwww,'" she said, swinging her legs and not meeting my eyes.

I couldn't believe it. She was telling me that the kids made fun of her! First, who are these vicious little preschool monsters, and how can I give them a time-out? And, second, have you SEEN the crap they feed the kids at public schools? After letting her eat school "lunch" for a couple of weeks, and having to grit my teeth while she told me that she ate pizza and French fries on several days, we started sending her Iunches with her. And now, I am That Mom, the one packing the weird, healthy lunches while the other kids' moms put Reese's Cups in their lunch boxes.

I remember that kid with the healthy lunches. I WAS that kid. Thermoses full of home made soup. Sandwiches with freshly sliced real country "hoop" cheese. Apples and oranges and bananas. My mom put all this effort into making filling yet nutritional lunches, sometimes with cute little "I love you" notes inside, and all I wanted was a little box of Nerds. The cute mini-sized Nerds.

"I see. Do you like them?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to eat them?"

"Yeah!"

"Then should I put it in your lunch?"

"Okay!"

We compromise at letting her buy a chocolate milk to drink at school, and I'm relieved. I want to teach her better habits than I have - and, yes, I'm aware that leading by example is ideal. But, apparently, even 4-year-olds know that there are "right" and "wrong" accessories for school. Luckily (sort of), at least for now, they're mainly concerned about the ones in their lunch boxes.

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