Parenting...the hardest job ever!

We have been trying to encourage healthy eating habits lately. But it is so hard! Tonight for example we made pizza for dinner, a quick and easy dinner since Kris hadn't voted yet. I was working so he took the boys with him so that they were able to "experience" what our freedom is all about. Since it took him longer then he was expecting I just decided to throw in a pizza. But as I was getting drinks out of the refrigerator, I saw that I had the right fixings to make a decent salad....broccoli, carrots, lettuce and shredded cheese. We even had a new bottle of ranch dressing. It was going to be a perfect start to a relatively unhealthy dinner. What was I thinking? I don't know! Maybe that my boys would just chow down on their salads and beg for more. Wishful thinking....

Instead this is how our evening went down.....

 Owen wouldn't try a bite for the life of him. He acted as if we were forcing him to eat a pigs head or a plate of worms or something. Really, I promise it was a nice salad!

 And then there is this kid. Freaking out, screaming and crying and just saying over and over again, "ewe gross!"

So what do you do? Reward them for not trying something that is good for them? Something that will help become big and strong and healthy? And just say "oh well, we tried" and let them have the pizza?

Or do you say enough is enough and enforce them to eat what is on the table in front of them?

We chose the second option and listened to uncontrollable screaming and crying for about 30 minutes....then they were put to bed, without dinner.....

As a mom, this decision broke my heart. I just wanted to break down and say, "okay you can just have peanut butter toast for dinner." But that is only giving in to what they want and what they were hoping the end result would be. Kris and I were both strong and firm in our choice.

They are both sleeping now and I just want to go and give them a nice squeeze and kiss their sweet little faces up!

Parenting...it is hard...very hard!