reader's happy ending to sugary cereal quandry...

This was sent to me by a reader who followed my sugary cereal battles last year. I am happy to report, that the issue is also resolved in our home as well. I love getting these kinds of emails from parents who are able to stick it out and not pressure with eating. It is so, so hard sometimes! Parents, will you share your stories of patience paying off to inspire others?"A happy ending to my sugar cereal woes. . . Background: hubby eats sugar cereals for breakfast and buys them regularly for our boys, who were turning up their noses at everything else. Their favorites were Peanut Butter Crunch and Lucky Charms (the worst! They'd skip the cereal and just eat the marshmallows). Hubby was not open to the idea of not buying the crap on a regular basis. My strategy: serve boys something else tasty but healthier for breakfast before they had a chance to request sugar cereal (peanut butter and bananas on toast, oatmeal with a little brown sugar, dried cranberries and walnuts, and plenty of milk, Rice Chex with blueberries and a sprinkle of table sugar). My boys would complain that they wanted PB Crunch instead, I'd simply say "OK," and serve that, too. No lectures about sugar crap and no comments, even to hubby. Gradually, they started eating both options instead of just the PB Crunch, and then they started eating what I served instead of asking for the sugar cereal. Now, they will ask for oatmeal or or toast or Chex or Cheerios with fruit instead of the crap. They're eating the sugar cereals now about once or twice a week and usually only a few bites in addition to something better. I am very happy with this result- no forbidden fruit aura about the crap and boys who are full and happy until lunchtime thanks to some fiber, protein, and fat in their breakfasts! It took about a year to get to this point (probably because of my own early mistakes in preaching about how sugar cereals don't make you full)."Thanks so much for sharing. I think the point that is particularly important is having patience and faith that kids will mature with their eating, and you are doing an amazing job providing tasty, balanced and filling options. What a gift to your boys. Now... wonder about how your husband grew up with food :) It also brings up a great point about how you can be creative when parents differ on food choices. Keep us posted with your successes!