Friday, October 17, 2008

Picking my Battles this morning...


It's Friday...

I am up at 4:30 making 8 lunches... I got some really yummy Boars Head Chicken Breast at the Deli yesterday and was busily making sandwiches when David appeared behind me...

I don't get "good morning" or "Hi" or even "whats for breakfast?" Instead... I can hear the tone in his voice already... " MOM... IT'S FRIDAY.... I WANT TO BUY PIZZA!!" ugh. Friday.... the most dreaded day of the week when it comes to lunches.


All week long, I pack healthy lunches, lunches that are calorie conscience, I keep it creative using different rolls, wraps, veggies and spreads. I pack different snacks using fruit, and 100 calorie snacks, yogurts etc... Then, along comes Friday morning with Pizza for lunch Looming at me.

Part of me wants to take a stand and say "NO Pizza" but the other part of me sees my almost 14 year old son who desperately wants to be like everyone else... he is so good all the time... his weight is in control.. of course he wants pizza.


As I stand there with a piece of chicken breast posed over David's roll I can hear the urgency in his voice... " MOM... PIZZA!!!"


Something as simple as pizza for lunch at school, when you have a child with PWS is enough to turn the whole morning upside down.
I could say no,
I should say no...
I should just drop the piece of chicken on the roll in front of me and finish making his sandwich. School pizza... zero nutrition, high calories and fat... enough to undermine the entire day nutritionally. But yet, I stand there trying to decide... " MOM..PIZZA... PLEASE?" my hand moves back over the deli wrapper and I drop the chicken breast back in the wrapper. Behind me I hear " Yesss!... Thanks Mom!"
...and so the day begins.


It's a constant balancing act.. keeping a child with PWS healthy and their food intake in control and allowing them to be kids. David wants nothing more than to fit in, to be like everyone else. Food is such a HUGE part of our society and although our kids with PWS will NEVER have control when it comes to food, my hope is that I can offer my kids a balance of healthy eating so that they can enjoy some of the treats that come up in everyday life. It isn't easy and it isn't fair.. but it is our reality.


Have a good weekend everyone.

~Vicki



2 comments:

cattmaczko said...

Vicki - you're such an inspiration! I totally get the pizza thing - even tho Tommy's 3, if i come home w/Starbucks i'd BETTER have one for him (milk on ice w/sugar free vanilla!). He just wants to be like everyone else.

Good for you- and your right, your son is so good!!!! Even Tommy - being over weight, enjoys a tiny bit of pizza when the Dad or kids bring it home not thinking.... hey - we've gotta live in this food crazed world - once in a great while...... and the MOM in me is groaning over the nutritional content of that pizza......... but if it's only Fridays, and it makes him so happy!!! Good for You!!!

God Bless!!!

Catt

toblertribe said...

Oh, how I understand! Nathan wants pizza too. I have allowed him to eat school lunch so far and it's working for him, but I just found out he's been eating breakfast, taking the bus to school, and eating breakfast at school as well. The battles are never over.