milkMommy Confession #67: My toddler doesn't drink milk. Not just doesn't drink milk. Has never finished a glass of milk. Ever.

When we transitioned from formula to milk, it didn't go well. Yes, that is an understatement. It went horribly.

We tried everything. Every type of milk -- fat-free, low-fat, 2%, skim, whole. Organic and non-organic. With Nesquik, with Ovaltine. Every flavor -- plain, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla. Made our own flavors -- chocoberry, vanolate, strawnilla.

She would take a sip. One meek little slurp, and that was it. It became a battle. It was turning every meal into a war zone.

And I then remembered the parenting advice we've all heard 103 times: pick your battles. So I did. And this wasn't one of them.

I know, some of you may say she doesn't need milk, even that milk is bad for your kid. Cool, fine. But that's not what this was about for me. Working outside the home, I get home just in time for dinner. It is one of the major chunks of time we have together. When we were in full War of the Milk mode, I was starting to battle with my kid within, oh, 11 minutes of me walking in the door. Not good.

I had to weigh what was more important -- her drinking that glass of dang milk or spending a peaceful, bonding time together. I had to choose between two major needs -- nutrition for her body and nutrition for her soul. Oh man, where did that come from? Geez, that is so sappy, like a 7.9 on the sap-o-meter.

But, that's kind of what it came down to and I have to confess (what confession number am I up to now?) -- it wasn't a hard choice to make. Quality time won hands down. I have a feeling this will be one in a heaping pile of times when, as a mom, you have to step back and say this just ain't right. You have to say, "You know what, I'm the mom and I'm going to change this situation."

So I did.

How does she get her calcium, vitamin D, all of those things that "does the body good"? She loves frozen Go-Gurts, loves yogurt smoothies. We give her vitamins and fortified cereals and bread. We add a little extra cheese to things.

The War of the Milk over. Peace reigns in our house ... for now.

What battle have you chosen NOT to fight?

 

Image via striatic/Flickr