Parenting secret #1

There are some days when you, as a parent, just stumble blindly into the answer for a vexing problem. Today was one of those days.

DOM and I were eating dinner together; Mr. MOM was off at a grown-up event (well, it is an event with a bunch of guys who were members of his college fraternity, so I question just how grown-up an event it was). She has become a lot pickier about what she will eat in the past couple of months. Tonight was a "no green bean" zone. I tried persuasion ("Please, will you just eat one green bean?"), reasoning ("But you like green beans!"), and threats ("If you don't eat at least one green bean, you can't have an Oreo."). Finally, out of desperation, I had a flash of inspiration. I asked DOM, "If grandpa tells you to eat a green bean, will you eat a green bean?" She said, "Yes." So, I called my father on the phone, asked him to do me a favor, explained the situation, and then handed the phone to her. She spoke with him briefly, and then started to eat her green beans.

So there you have it. Too bad it won't work again tomorrow.