Thursday, August 26, 2010

How to make a toddler eat a cookie in 21 bites

Whenever I have a great idea, I feel compelled to share. Yeah, that's just the kind of girl I am.

So this morning at snack time, I decided to give each of the twins one of the chocolate chip cookies the 15-year-old girl had made the night before. They were quite large, so I didn't want to give them more than one, but I knew that if I just handed each of them a cookie, they would shove them into their mouths as quick as they could, then start crying "Moe Cookie!"

This I wasn't going to tolerate. That's when the idea hit me. I would place the cookie on a cutting board, like so...

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....then cut it into little tiny pieces with a steak knife, like so...

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...then put the little tiny pieces in a little tiny stainless steel bowl (we have tons of these and I don't know why)...

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...and they would think that they were getting 21 cookies instead of just one. This worked very well. They were super-excited about getting their stainless steel bowl full of cookie pieces and eating them one by one, and by the time they were finished, yes, they did ask for more, but I told them that that we were "all done cookies", but that they could have some bananas instead. So I cut up the banana into tiny pieces and put those in their stainless steel bowls as well.

I think this tactic would also work well for those of us who are trying to lose weight. I'm pretty sure I would savor 21 cookie pieces a lot more if I sat down with them in a stainless steel bowl, than if I shoved one whole cookie into my mouth as I'm walking by the counter on my way to take the kids to school. I'm going to try it tomorrow. Or I could just not eat the cookie at all. We'll see.

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Your welcome.


Today on life in mexico {and other places} a picture a day: {oh, the humanity}

8 comments:

alessandra said...

You are absolutely right, and I vote for you eating it piece by piece, wasn't it a poll?

Karen said...

My toddlers and little boys would drink the cookie pieces. No patients and savoring good stuff. But it is a great idea.

Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven said...

Sure, we can make it a vote, Ale!

Mrs. Clifton, that is funny, and I'm surprised my boys didn't do the same!

Unknown said...

Cutting it into pieces is a great idea. Cookies look yummy right now:)

Natalie said...

love this idea! i'm going to try it (for the kids AND me!!)

Emily in Wonderland said...

you are brilliant. how did you get so smart Jen! i love it! 20 millions pieces of cookie is way more fun than just one cookie.

Amanda B. said...

Very cool idea- love it!!!!

Brian + Cheryl B. said...

hi Jen :-)
The title of this particular posting, reminded me of a story in one of the 'Mrs. Pigglewiggle' books. Are you familiar with them? WONDERFUL books!!! Thanks for the happy memories!

I agree with 'alessandra's' vote in this poll ;-p I feel ever so much better about being a good friend, by encouraging you to eat them small piece by small piece, over advising you to steer away from them altogether o;-p

The little metal 'bowls' are individual condiment bowls. They are oft used in restaurants for serving meat broth in (yes, there is a technical word for that product - have absolutely no idea this morning how to spell it!). They are also used for serving dressing on the side for salads, or dipping sauces such as ranch dressing, or marinara sauce, or sour cream, etc.. You might find them beneficial in serving ketchup in ...

Back to the subject of the cookies .... I am convinced that I could better decide if you should eat them all at once - small piece by small piece - or leave them alone altogether, after you have sent me three and I have experimented with each of the three methods on them myself o;-p