Riding the Roller Coaster

Two days ago, I warned my children that I would be serving them fish for dinner that night. They seem to do better when they have time to mentally prepare for the next Food Horror. I cooked Tilapia, the least fishy-tasting of the fish, preparing it with nothing other than olive oil and salt. Wonder of wonders, everyone liked it - including M&M, who declared that it tastes just like chicken. "We're over the hump!" I thought, mentally congratulating myself for my superb parenting skills.

The next night I cooked tilapia again (buying fish at Costco necessitated this). My expectations were high. I was giddy with the thought of four well-mannered children at my dinner table, thanking me profusely for the delicious meal lovingly prepared by their dear mother.

Beware of expectations. They will probably bite you in the butt.

This night, Emma whined that the tilapia was "too salty". I allowed her to switch to a less salty piece. Big Mistake. Sensing the chink in my armor, Abadoo joined the fight with her little sister in protesting the tilapia and the stir-fry veggies that came with it. Abadoo earned early bedtime for failing to eat the minimum required dinner. M&M earned early bedtime, too, and was also stripped of privileges for two days after yelling "this stuff is HORRIBLE!" in my face.

Apparently that hump we made it over was only the first hill on this roller coaster ride.

I hope I don't throw up.