they don't, they don't, they don't, then suddenly they do...

So, M is almost six. She has been at the table while we served and enjoyed probably a few hundred salads over the years. They are pretty standard. Home-made the dressing in the bottom of the bowl, add "goodies" like cut up cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, maybe avocado, then add washed and dried lettuce. She has always said "I don't like salad. I just want the goodies."In the past, I have even offered, "I'll just put some goodies in the bowl and you can eat them or not."  Most times she has eaten them, sometimes not. I didn't care- at least I pretended not to at first. (Note, if there is ANY resistance, or push-back, this tactic of offering and putting food in a plate or bowl can slow the process down. Observe your child's reaction. I am blessed with a pretty even-tempered kid, but make no mistake, when I have crossed the line, she has vociferously let me know. Once,  during her low dairy days, I just served milk to everyone. "We're all having milk for lunch." Oh boy, no, we weren't. Much resistance ensued, so I backed off again and waited...")So recently, she has started to enjoy helping me in the kitchen. This is also new. She stands on her stool and helps whisk the ingredients for the dressing. Interestingly, I was using lettuce to dip in and try the dressing. She would grab some and try it. Hmm. She wouldn't eat lettuce in the bowl, but used it to try the sauce... She's been doing this for awhile, and the other night with dinner, first had a bowl of goodies, and then asked for "a bowl of just salad." She tried it and said, "I like salad. I never knew. I guess my taste-buds are changing."Seems like lots is changing. Who knew what spurred her to push herself along that night? Helping make the salad? Having our sitter recently comment about M's "great taste-buds?" Our conversation about how she loves chocolate now, but didn't like it when she was smaller???I've been loving spending time in the kitchen together. We try the dressing, and I ask what she thinks. She was right on the other night. "I think it's too spicy." (sharp/vinegary...) I said, "OK, so if you want to make it taste less spicy, would you add more olive oil, or vinegar?" She chose the olive oil. It's fun, and I enjoy it, and I think she does to.It has seemed like a long wait. Hundreds of salads where she passed on the lettuce, hundreds of times I have asked if she would help me in the kitchen only to be rebuffed. It's nice. I don't know how long it will last, but I wanted to share. If your little one isn't interested right now in helping in the kitchen, keep at it. Keep offering without pressure, take "no" for an answer, try not to get greedy when they help happily for 3 minutes and then run off to play.As my ESI colleague Pam Estes R.D says, "they don't, they don't, they don't, and then suddenly, they do!" Can you wait it out? What is helping you have faith and trust the process? What makes it harder to trust?