Here's Some Dirt

I am Irish but had a craving for some Italian food for dinner the other night. Homemade spaghetti with meatballs and a side salad seemed a perfect menu.

Normally, I don’t go to such lengths. Anything requiring more than one pot or pan tests my culinary skills, but I decided to give it a whirl. Why? Simple, I don't like cabbage nor do I believe in leprechauns who will do my cooking for me.

I asked my nine-year-old son, Christian, if he wanted sauce on his pasta. His reply, "I don't like pasta."

"Well, that’s what we're having for dinner."

His flippant remark, "Fine, then I'll just have dirt."

I do love him, but his freshness I can do without. In fact, we heatedly discussed this very thing that morning while I chased him to his bedroom, determined to have the last word.

 Enough was enough. I'm not a fast food chef, and I don't do special orders. This time, however, I made an exception. I served him a plate of dirt. I took his plate right out to the garden and heaped on the dirtiest dirt I could dig up.

Noah, my six-year-old, stated with absolute certainty, “I’ll have what you’re having, Mom.”

Some may disagree with my tactics, but it kept him quiet long enough to take notice. While the rest of the family ate Italian, he just stared at his dirt.

I gave him the ‘raised eyebrow’ from across the table and said, in a quiet yet assertive voice, “Be careful of what you say.”

Sweet talk does not work with Christian. I've learned to be very direct. If I can get my message across in five words or less, he hears me. If not, then I have to resort to techniques that are more creative.

Eventually, he did surrender to pasta without sauce and a meatball. A small miracle? Perhaps. I think I made my point. If he wants dirt, then I’ll give him a mountain, settle on pasta and we can negotiate.

Did either of us win? Yes, we both did. But, I'm hopeful he doesn't think the odds were in his favor. Also, more important than a victory, was the lesson I hope he learned and will carry into his teen years.

Tomorrow...I’m making eggplant.