A really heavy coworker of mine mentions she orders her kids' food with the thought of what she will eat because she knows how kids are - she'll end up finishing the majority.
It resonated loudly with me because one of my all-time guilty pleasures is witnessing a scenario I've seen play out countless times over the years particularly at wing chains; a growing mom out with the fam has already stuffed herself with an appetizer, couple beers and huge dinner notices her 3-4 kids have barely touched their meals and refuse to eat. You'll be distracted by their argumentative haggling. Stuffed silly she tires of fighting with them over it.
She moves the plates closer so the server can take them away. What a waste. Her husband waiting for the bill, she stares at the kids' plates. She mentally does the scratch math, 18 damn dollars. She's painfully full but deep down she knows the right thing to do.
A good mom leads by example. "Get what you paid for, no waste, money is tight, responsible mother" then takes it upon herself to eat all of their barely touched burgers, an entire basket of chicken strips and 3 sides of fries. Even the chocolate milk.
As the thin husband and kids, full of energy are ready to leave, I love to see the mom leaned back, slack jawed breathing heavy, eyes glazed over at the end realizing this is why she's the only fatty in the family.
6 years
