BRAT Diet

BRAT diet. Am I the only woman who has been a mother for a decade and does not know what this is? BamBam has some tummy trouble, and I called the pediatricians office. "Is he eating the brat diet?" Huh?

Bananas
Rice
Applesauce
Toast

Okay, BamBam will eat bananas and applesauce and toast (with butter, which is a no-no). There is no way he will eat rice. Special jaunt to the grocery store to buy bananas, applesauce, rice cakes, rice milk, french fries (she said potatoes were okay, and those are all the potatoes he will eat).

Strawberries are on sale, and I bought some. "Can I have strawberries?" No. "Can I have strawberries?" No. "Can I have strawberries?" No. "Can I have strawberries?" Okay, two. "Can I have more strawberries?"

The Strike Is Over

Actually, it didn't last much past lunch. Especially when DoorMan came home early and explained that there would be no rides to soccer, Blue Knights or homeschool co-op. About the only thing in walking distance for Arch is church, so he could still serve Mass, but he would have to walk in the cold.

And, you know, the next day was one of the most enjoyable days in memory. Everyone cooperated, and school work was done and we enjoyed a nature walk in the January Thaw.

On Strike

My children informed me that they have gone on strike.

Not really BamBam, because he is only three, and parrots back what Arch says. And he doesn't really have any chores anyway.

Arch informed me that he will no longer be doing his chores until his demands are met. What are they, you ask? Here we go:

• Bedtime at 8:00 pm is too early
• They do not want to clean up one toy before getting out another
• They want to watch movies that their friends saw, which we will not allow
• They want an equal vote in family matters

Now, I am proud to say that I did not bat an eye at this. I asked Arch to bring me the Baltimore Catechism, and I read to him the section on the fourth commandment.

"But, still ....." and on he went.

So, I noted down the list of demands, and calmly informed him that I would not prepare him any more meals until the end of the strike.

Right now, they are playing in their room. We'll see what happend when they get hungry.