A Lie Paved with Good Intentions

I lied to my son’s pediatrician.  

At my son’s last check-up, we were asked the usual questions regarding our son’s eating and sleeping habits and the number of hours my son spends watching TV.  And I lied.  I knew what the doctor wanted to hear.  And, for the most part, I am doing everything my doctor would approve of.  But “for the most part” is not all the time.  There’s actually no such thing as raising a child and doing something “all the time,” unless we’re talking about loving a child and showering a child with affection.

There are days when my son watches a couple of hours of television.  He may watch a “Baby Einstein DVD” while I am getting dressed for work.  He may want to snuggle on my bed and watch the same Baby Einstein when I come home from work.  And when my husband is home with my son, I know the two of them will be playing some Nintendo Mario game and watching multiple Michael Jackson concert videos.

There are other days when my son and I won’t watch anything.  We’ll play and read and tickle.  We’ll cook and paint and do everything but turn on a television set.  That’s life.  Some days are more “imbalanced” than others.

Some days I eat several servings of fruits and vegetables.  So does my son.  Other days, he doesn’t want to eat, except for multiple servings of chocolate pudding.  And bottom line, I want my son to eat so I will let him eat 3 puddings in one day.

My son primarily drinks milk and water, and an occasional fruit juice with his babysitter at the Farmer’s Market.  My son loves chocolate, ice cream, French fries, and tortilla chips.  My son also loves carrots, cucumbers, apples, and watermelon.  

For me, it’s all about moderation.  My son will eat a bowl of ice cream and tell me when he’s had enough.  My son will eat from a plate of Johnny Rockets French fries and let me know when he’s full.  That’s when I know I’m doing my job.  My son understands the concept of eating until you’re full and knowing when to stop.

Likewise, my son will sometimes ask to watch tv.  And he will sometimes be the one who asks me to turn it off so we can go work on his circus puzzle instead.

So, to Dr. K, I apologize that I wasn’t upfront with you.  Please know, our lie was not intended to be malicious.  It was just one of those incidences when telling a fib was easier than telling the truth.  The truth is my son is not drinking soda, not eating Happy Meals, and not watching television in the car.  My son does know his first and last names, the letters of the alphabet, and shapes and colors.

My son is happy.  He is healthy.  

That’s all I can ask for.