Many kids subsist on chicken nuggets

By Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar

Dear Annie: My 35-year-old granddaughter, “Sally,” has a 5-year-old son who eats only fast food — french fries, chicken nuggets, ice cream, etc. “Tyler” won’t take vitamins because he “doesn’t want to.” This has been going on for at least two years.

When Sally visits, she fills my already overstocked fridge with junk food. She defends Tyler’s eating habits by claiming he’s “stubborn.” She also says the pediatrician told her his eating habits are OK, but this child has severe allergies, as does Sally. When they visit, I find myself hanging on by a straw.

How in the world does an old grandmother cope? Other than the food and the behavior that comes with it, my great-grandson is a delight.

Need To Be Wiser Grandma

Dear Wiser: Young children have been known to be notoriously picky eaters, which is why it is so important for parents to teach them healthy habits. But it’s hard to do and takes persistence. Sally has taken the path of least resistance. However, there is no reason for alarm. A lot of kids subsist on chicken nuggets and ice cream. They may not be the healthiest choices, but they do provide sufficient nutrition until Tyler can learn to accept new foods. He also may be predisposed to his mother’s allergies, meaning they are unconnected to what he is eating. If his behavior is rowdy after meals, he may need to cut back on the sugar, and some kids are sensitive to artificial flavors and colors.

You have no control over what Sally does in her own home, but when Tyler visits you, make it clear that you are in charge of all meals. But keep some ice cream in the freezer, just in case.

Dear Annie: Yesterday, I went to an endodontist for a root canal. During the procedure, she said one of the roots was unusually formed. After working on me for two hours, she put in a temporary filling and said she’d have to finish the job at the next appointment. She had another patient and had run out of time.

Annie, she should have known there was a problem from the X-rays taken at the preliminary appointment. I told her I did not want to come back and endure the shots and preparation again and asked her to please finish the procedure now, even if one of her partners needed to take over. She told me endodontists do not work that way and that I would have to come back, but it wouldn’t cost any more money.

Was I out of line to expect my procedure to be completed the same day?

Omaha

Dear Omaha: You cannot expect your endodontist or her associates to have the flexibility to extend your appointment beyond the time scheduled. Based on the preliminary X-rays, she thought two hours would be sufficient. Once she took a closer look, however, she discovered it was more complicated than anticipated. These things happen and are no one’s fault.

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