On the Naming of Things

[billroper]

Katie just came up to my office and tried to suggest that we should sneak out and buy her a popsicle without telling Mommy. I told her that would be a bad idea, because Daddy shouldn't keep secrets like that from Mommy. And I told her that we would have custard later after dinner.

"I don't want custard. I want a popsicle."

"Ok, you can have a popsicle after dinner."

"I don't want dinner."

"But we're having pizza. With pepperoni."

"I want a popsicle for dinner."

"You can't have a popsicle for dinner. A popsicle is dessert or a treat."

"I want to call it dinner."

"But we can't do that. That would be like calling you Julie -- you'd still be Katie."

"I want to call it dinner."

"Nope. We can't do that."

She seems somehow unconvinced.

Comments

[braider.livejournal.com]

Dunno. The popsicle is slightly healthier than pizza, I think. Lower in fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates. Contains more water, which is good for you, right?

[artbeco.livejournal.com]

Her reasoning really is hard to argue with though, isn't it? :)
I have had almost identical conversations with the boys. And while the vocabulary gets more complex, the reasoning remains the same, and is just as difficult to argue with. ;)

[rmeidaking.livejournal.com]

Basic rule: "You have to eat the nutritious stuff before you get to eat the treats. If you don't finish the nutritious stuff at dinner, we'll save it for when you get hungry later. After you finish the nutritious stuff, *THEN* you get a treat."

It's been a mantra for eighteen years. I have managed to raise two relatively healthy, normal-weight teenagers with this mantra.

[tollermom]

Having read that, now _I_ want a popsicle. And being me and not Katie, I can do that.

*wanders to kitchen for frozen raspberry juice bar*

Nom nom nom...

[daisy-knotwise.livejournal.com]

If it was a grape juice pop from our freezer I might think so. But she wanted a Star Kiss Bar from Dairy Queen. I'm more worried about HFCS and food coloring than I am cheese. ANd since she peels the cheese off her pizza anyway, I think the pizza wins.

GHR

[rinioth.livejournal.com]

Yup, worked for me and our kids too.

I just wish more parents realised that you need to start this early and *stick* to it.

[braider.livejournal.com]

*grin* It was worth a try.

Remember the Bill Cosby bit about cake?

[lindaneely.livejournal.com]

I remember my brother once tried to get my granny to let him have a strawberry ice cream cone instead of cereal for breakfast explaining that it was the same as fruit, milk and grain. She laughed so hard she had to sit down - and he had to eat the cheerios.