Last night during dinner, we had a rough time getting our kids to help prepare the food they were about to eat. They are usually very happy and excited to help make food with me. I don't typically force my kids help with food preparation, but when it comes down to me prepping about 100 small shrimp that needs to be peeled and such, it's time to learn.
As we gathered at the table and I brought freshly boiled shrimp (you know, the ones with the head still on, eyes staring at you?) you can imagine the expressions on my darling children's faces change from excited hunger to shock and disgust. Mind you, they've all eaten and liked shrimp before. Why the change of heart? They are spoiled - that's why! The are used to the prepped shrimp, that someone else went to painstaking detail to de-head, pull off the legs and outer shell, and finally remove the tail without taking any of the precious desired meat with them. It's a talent, I tell ya! And while I appreciate their talent in doing this task and packaging them nicely into bags for me to select either fresh or frozen at the supermarket, it's important to know how to prepare your own shrimp. Right?! Anyone who's ever eaten fresh shrimp knows the difference and what I'm talking about.
Why did we decide that it was time for our kids to acquire this wonderful talent? My darling husband decided to bring home a bag of fresh shrimp from the market. It's all we had to make as a main course for dinner that night. It was time to learn.
Personality differences were to be expected and definitely presented themselves during this experience. My hands-on learners were game and jumped right in. My tentative ones were cautious, but came around. My tactile sensitive child wanted NOTHING to do with it - not to touch it, watch it, listen to it, etc. Eating was the ONLY option. Period. Soooo.....as we enforced the "you have to try it once" at the table policy, you can imagine the drama that unfolded. With extreme disgust, resentment, and eventual departure from the table claiming the desire to never eat any living thing ever again, it was NOT the ideal learning experience.
To help calm down the situation, I went to sensitive child's room and tried to bring some 'sense' to the emotions that were raging. The truth of the matter is, WE ARE SPOILED! We don't catch our own food, we don't clean and prepare the meat from animals for eating, we don't grow our own food, we don't usually bake our own bread, make cereal, crackers, pasta, etc...etc....
We are so removed from the reality of what it takes for the food to come to the table that when the learning moment arises for how to prepare a shrimp there is rebellion and chaos.
So, how effective was my 'sensible' approach to this topic? Completely ineffective! Ha ha! Sensitive child refused to ever eat meat again and become vegetarian.
What is a parent to do when sensibility and mental capabilities fail? I've learned to stop trying to raise my children my way and raise them God's way. Whenever I let God's Truth and authority come into things, He always wins my children over. So I let go and let God. I relied on His Word and examples to guide me as I explained how God made animals for food. This gained some traction and a discussion came into light. Sensitive child opened up the door for consideration and the miracle of the fish and bread that fed thousands opened eyes. I asked sensitive child, "If you were there that day, and were given food to eat, would you have turned your nose up at it and said, 'Yuck! I want fish sticks instead! ?" Sensitive child understood, without words came to the table and proceeded to peel shrimp AND eat it. Disgusted by the process all the same, but thankful and no longer spoiled to the point of not appreciating the bounty provided for us.
So I was thinking last night about how God gave us fish, not fish sticks. What other ways does this apply to my life? He always provides, but it takes work on my part to make it fish sticks. It takes my effort and participation.
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