Good Eaters vs. Picky Eaters

Jack's a good eater, all the moms say so.  For a 3-year old, that's high praise.  It's more impressive than proper aim during potty training.  It ranks right up there with toddlers who can spell their names, or will share a toy without being forced.  It doesn't rank as high as the 3-year old piano virtuosos, or the ones that never cry, but still its pretty spectacular.  When moms tell me he's a good eater I nod and say, "Yes, thanks.  We're very proud, he's always been that way."  I try to sound casual in my response, but it's like they've just told me, "My God, your son is amazing!  You must be an exceptional mother."  Really, it feels that good.

Because a 3-year old boy who is a good eater is a rarity, a real gem in the preschool set.  But how exactly did he get there? And more important, as we enter preschool how do we STAY here?  Now that his sister, Grace, is starting solids I thought I would chronicle the rise of a Good Eater.

But ouch...I hate that term.  Maybe because there are so many overweight, undernourished kids out there, or it just conjures some patronizing images.  If I put a mound of salty, greasy fries and nasty cookies in front of a child, and he gobbles it all down do I call him a "Good Eater"?  How good is that really?  When it comes to that, I'd prefer a Picky Eater.  

The archetype of a Good Eater is one who eats whatever he is given, finishes his plate, and doesn't grind his broccoli into the carpet.  A Picky Eater has a limited, often mysteriously chosen palate of foods he will eat.  If he eats at all.  But there are aspects of picky eating that should be praised.  Picky Eaters know what they like, and what they don't.  Picky Eaters don't just eat whatever they are given, they stop eating when they are fill, not when the plate is empty.  Frankly, we could use a few more Picky Eaters out there.  I'm not talking about the kind of Picky Eaters who only eat things that are white, or things that come in a bag, but the kind of Picky Eater who makes good choices about what to put in their bodies.  That's not a Bad Picky.  That's Good Picky.

So, here we go friends and neighbors.  I want to compile all the resources I can find to raise more Good Picky Eaters.