onetiredmama: Parents Know Best

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I never thought I'd say this, but I've become my father. It happened at the local children's museum when our hungry crew was placing orders for dinner: I only asked for a drink.

My dad did this decades ago when he had three kids ordering more than their stomachs would hold. We always thought he was being cheap and it really embarrassed us. But he never went hungry. Usually the cashier or waitress would nod and laugh with him, congratulating him on his savvy financial decision; this public acknowledgment of his stinginess was even more distressing. He never did it at fancy sit down places (not that we went to those places often,) but cafeterias or casual diners were the perfect place to save some cash by eating our leftovers. And now they are for me, too. I'm not sure how many hanger-burgs left uneaten by Riley it took before I decided to resurrect this scheme, but operation "Just an unsweetened iced tea for me, thanks" is now underway.

This wouldn't work for Pat; he eats too much. And Jack almost always finishes his meal (which is a kids' pizza, 95% of the time.) But our little Riley only needs to eat full-portions every fourth day it seems, so she often leaves her hanger-burg with just a bite out of the bun. Never in our dining history has she finished her french fries. And a soggy burger in the take home box is appealing to no one the next day. So our dinner at the children's museum cost $19.96 for Pat's best Burger Ever Platter, Jack's Pizza deal plus a bonus hot chocolate for him, Riley's hanger-burger kids meal, my iced tea and 2 big cookies.

Serving up plastic pizza at the children's museum.
She'll never finish it.

So what did I get to eat? 3/4 of Jack's hot chocolate to begin with. None of the cookies no surprise there. But of course on this inaugural occasion there was a big surprise: Riley ate 7/8 of her hanger-burger for the first time in our dining out history. She must have known what I was up to. Sure, I got a few fries and that one bite of burger. I wasn't left overstuffed or starving and I'll certainly try operation, "Just an unsweetened iced tea for me, thanks" again.

Now this isn't the only one of my father's tactics that has unknowingly been reincarnated in my grown up world. He is a very vigorous coffee stirrer. Every morning, he stirred it the same methodical way, with the same 4 taps of the spoon on the rim of the coffee mug when he was done. Drove. Me. Crazy. My wonderful husband was kind enough to point out that I now do this with my tea or hot chocolate. I remain in denial and try to change up my stirring technique when I think of it, but usually it's not until after those 4 taps that I realize what I've done.

I hope they'll continue our tradition of huggin'
and snugglin' when they're parents.