In a message dated 8/22/97 7:40:04 PM, you wrote: <<[email protected]>> Several years ago I was battling the dilemma of the kids who thought they should always get what they want on their dinner plate and never try anything new. So I fought with them, threatened them, starved them, etc., to no avail. Still, each time we sat down to dinner, at least one of the kids would complain about what we were having and asked if they could have something else. I always turned out to be the meanie when I said no. One day I finally had enough. So, I tried a different approach: right before lunch one day I had the kids get out anything and everything they could imagine putting on a sandwich. They got out pickles, deli meat, cheese, tomatoes, green peppers & other veggies, tuna, peanut butter, jam, mustard, mayo, ketchup, butter, olives, etc., etc., etc. We laid out crackers, bread, pitas, and tortillas, too, and all this stuff took up most of the space on the kitchen table. Then I told the kids to have at it and make the most disgusting sandwich they could think of. It was so funny! My son made a peanut butter, onion, mustard and tuna sandwich. One of the girls made a stack of crackers alternating with cheese, pickles, jam, cucumbers, deli meat, you name it. The other daughter was a bit more conservative and stuffed a pita full of all kinds of veggies, but then slathered on the ketchup. I even made a double layered tortilla, veggie, and peanut butter thing. When we were all done creating our cuisine, I dared the kids to be the first one to not just taste their concoctions but to eat at least 2 bites of it and see who could make the most hilarious face while doing so. It was a hoot. They all did it, thinking it was all a big game. And it was. The conclusion: that evening when dinner was served the kids tried their whining; but I reminded them of what they had for lunch that day and never wanted to hear another gripe about what I fed them if they could stomach what they themselves had made, or else that is what I would make them for dinner. It has been 8 years and they still remember!