This kind of IS a restaurant…

I so vividly remember the words my mom uttered… oh, probably three times each day.  You may remember a similar phrase from your mom.  Let me set the scene:

Breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The family gathers for a meal.  Table is set.  The clinking sounds of utensils is heard as kids anticipate the arrival of food.  Mom places filled serving dishes in center of table.

ME:       I don’t like pork chops.

MOM:   Yes, you do.  You always eat pork chops.

BROTHER #1:  I hate spinach.

MOM:   It’s good for you.  

ME:      I thought we were having lasagna.

BROTHER #2:  Me, too.

MOM:   We had lasagna yesterday.

ME:      I love lasagna.

BROTHER #1:  I love fish sticks.

MOM:   No, you don’t.  

BROTHER #1:  (laughs)  Only kidding.  (panicking)  Don’t make them tomorrow… 

ME:      I can’t eat these.

MOM:  THIS IS NOT A RESTAURANT.  EAT YOUR DINNERS.  NOW. 

I certainly get where my mom was coming from.  I get the shopping and bag handling and putting away and taking out and preparing and cooking.  I get what goes into a family dinner and I appreciate the work.  I know.  I did it myself for years.

But with my grandchildren?  Ah.  My kitchen kind of IS a restaurant.

Take last evening, for example.  My husband made the most delicious stuffed peppers.  He sauteed garlic and peppers and secret herbs and mixed in the ground turkey.  The aroma in our kitchen was heavenly.  During this cooking fest, in came Audrey’s 4 boys for a little visit.  This is what happened…

WILLIAM:  That smells delicious, Pop-up.

POP-UP:   It’s stuffed peppers.

WILLIAM:  Oh. (thinking)  I don’t like stuffed peppers.

ALEX:       Me either.

POP-UP:   Have you ever had stuffed peppers?

WILLIAM:  No.  I don’t like them. So I’ve never had them.

ALEX:       Me either.

POP-UP:   Do you want some American Chop Suey?

WILLIAM:  Yes!

ALEX:       No.  I don’t like American Chop Suey.

AUDREY:  Yes, you do.

ALEX:       No, I don’t.  I never liked it.

ME:          Do you want peanut butter & jelly?

ALEX:       Yes!

POP-UP:   What about you, Benjamin.  What do you want?

BENJAMIN:  Pudding.  An’ fish.

So… what did these short-order Grandma and Pop-up do?  Of course!  Alex got his Smart Balance peanut butter & jelly sandwich on his favorite wheat bread, cut in quarters.  Benjamin got his chocolate pudding (and we’re not talking just any chocolate pudding… we stock his favorite, Zen Soy Pudding) and fish (you don’t actually think an almost 2-year old likes fish, do you?  No. I’m talking Pepperidge Farm Goldfish!).  Little Henry has his own cabinet, filled to the brim with baby food.  And Pop-up took a few spoonfuls of his turkey mixture before folding in the rice, and set it aside.  Mixed with pasta shells, it became the coveted American Chop Suey for William.

All the while, Audrey was shaking her head and saying, “You didn’t do this for me when I was a kid!”

Of course not.  This restaurant is only open for grandchildren!

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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5 Comments

  1. 2.23.09
    Heather said:

    Ah, yes. The Grandparent Restaurant was always my favorite, too. Of course, I had a different spin when I went to my Grandparent’s house. I would go to the place where my Mema stored her brown paper grocery store bags and take one out. I’d open her pantry (and sometimes the fridge!) and start filling it with items that I wanted to take home. You see, even if it was the same as what we already had, it was better coming from her house. Of couse, they thought it was cute and I still get teased by my aunts and uncles today because of my Grocery Shopping trips 🙂

  2. 2.23.09
    Lisa said:

    That’s what Grandparents are for! The stuffed peppers sound amazing!

  3. 2.23.09

    I’m shaking my head with Audrey!! LOL

  4. 2.23.09
    Jilene aka Nona said:

    Okay I only have one grandchild and one on the way but we do the same thing. We give her our dinner and if she doesn’t like it or wants something else we jump up and make it. Funny how we forget what it was like when our girls were young.

  5. 2.24.09

    This is too funny, but we do spoil our grandkids. That is for sure!!

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