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Cat Litter and Other Culinary Delights
By Deborah Boehle
My friend Kim said her son ate an anthill when he was a toddler. He scooped up ants and dirt and happily put them in his mouth. And I know several moms whose toddlers loved dog food. I'm not entirely sure why we get so upset when these things happen. Yes, my son could have contracted toxoplasmosis from the cat poop, and kids can get worms from eating dirt, but those are usually not life-threatening conditions. Perhaps parents get so upset because toddlers usually seem so happy when they're in the midst of eating some newfound treat. We're horrified at the thought of eating such disgusting items, which are not even a part of the food chain, while our dear child is as happy as if he'd just discovered Crepes Suzette. We worry that we may be rearing someone who will never get a date to the prom if they continue to have such socially unacceptable tastes, much less get married and leave home someday.
I am happy to report that my children are now 7, 10 and 13, and their tastes have changed considerably. In fact, the two younger ones are downright picky eaters, and it's hard to fix a meal that all three enjoy or even accept. They are thoroughly "grossed out" by the thought that they ever put any non-food item into their mouth. I feel relatively sure that their odds of getting a date to the prom are as good as the next kid's, and I do think that they will get married and leave the house someday. But if I had another toddler tomorrow who started scooping something gross into his mouth, would I respond calmly and rationally? Of course not.
