Shame on me!

Tonight I was ashamed.  I have passed a very bad trait on to my eldest child.  I am extremely selfish with my food.  If I have one pet peeve, it's when people try to sample my food before I'm finished with it.  Don't ask me why...I honestly don't have a good explanation for it; I just know it makes me madder than a hornet!

side note:  I have never been stingy with my food when it comes to my kids.  They are welcome to eat any and all of whatever they want.  My husband, sister, mother, etc...they are NOT allowed!  

Apparently I have passed this terrible trait onto Hunter.  We drove through Dairy Queen tonight and rather than ordering 2 small M&M McFlurries for the kids, I ordered 1 medium.  It was plenty of ice cream for both of them...and a smaller price.  I gave the cup to Brother with the spoon and asked him to feed himself one bite, and Graysen one bite.  This was NOT a good idea.  Within 60 seconds I had the cup back in my hand, he was in tears and refusing to eat any of it at all, and Graysen was happily chowing down while saying "Bubby, Cry, It's Okay Bubby".  

When Hunter calmed down enough to start taking bites again I asked him why he didn't want to feed Sister and he explained that it makes him mad to give someone else his food.  How was I supposed to argue that when I feel the exact same way?!  

I did my best to validate his feelings without encouraging them.  We talked about how he has never had to go hungry.  There is always more food if someone eats all of yours.  We talked about Africa and how there are lots of kids there who go days without eating because their parents don't have money.  That statement led to a rather lengthy discussion about how we are blessed to live in America, where there are jobs that pay us money, so that we can buy food, and pay to live in a house.  

I wish we could take him with us to Africa when we go next year.  I really believe he is old enough and would benefit SO much from being there with us to pick up his brother and see that the whole world does not live like us.  BUT, I don't think that Graysen would survive well without both her parents and Bubby.  He is always the first one she asks for when she wakes up and she reaches for his doorway when we're standing at her crib ready to put her to bed.  I'd say they are rather attached...  

So, after a rather random post...I realize that I need to be more giving and sharing with my food.  That is surely not a genetic trait!  (Although it's alright if you want to pretend that it is and that I had no control over Hunter's possessiveness of food!)