It's finally happened....

It has finally happened, I Shannon Bradshaw, have found a way to get Kaiden to eat that doesn't invovle threats and food strikes. Kaiden has ALWAYS been a super picky eater. This started as a baby, when I couldn't get her to eat baby food. Hello, you're a baby you shouldn't decide what you do and you don't like. Since then it has been a constant battle of tears, frustration, and threats. Last Saturday this all came to an end when we went to A & W for dinner and Kaiden had a meltdown. We had ordered food for her and Carson to share and she decided that she didn't like it. After dinner we were planning on going to Diary Queen and getting an ice cream sundae. I informed her that she wouldn't be getting one if she didn't eat some of the food we had ordered (which were mini corn dogs by the way, who doesn't like corndogs). She wouldn't eat anything besides French Fries and as a result she didn't get any ice cream. When we got home she had a HUGE emtional meltdown. I mean shaking, crying, pleading. I was tired of this and frustrated that I had to put up with it at every single dinnertime meal. I almost felt like crying and pleading with someone myself. I put her to bed without receiving anymore food and then the idea hit me.
Kaiden works really well on using charts and stickers to recieve rewards, so I thought to myself why not try this on eating as well. I am not above the idea of bribing my kids to get them to do things. So I made a chart titled "Kaiden Loves to Eat New Food". Everytime she eats a new food at dinner (without crying) she gets to put a sticker on her chart. Once she has recieved 7 stickers she gets to go to the dollor store and pick out one thing that she likes. This was my thoery and plan and I was hoping that it would work.
On Sunday I made pot roast for dinner, I explained to her what she would get if she tried some pot roast. She was really excited about the idea but when it came time to actually eating the meat she kept putting it off saying "I'm waiting for it to cool down" Kaiden, it has been sitting there for 20 minutes, I think its "cooled" down by now. Finally, I got tired of her waiting for her to try it and told her that she wouldn't get a sticker. Five minutes later, she came over to me with her plate and started to eat her meat. Halleighluai!!! She even told me she liked it. What?!? Wow. It has continued to improve since then. She ate chicken pasta on Monday and French Dip sandwiches last night. In fact last night, I made my plate first and she asked me where her sandwich was. Who knew that I would have this kind of success. I don't even care that I had to bribe her with a prize from the dollar store (hello it's a dollar) because it's worth it seeing her try new foods and actually liking it. I am just so-o-o happy that the pleading (me) and the crying (her) have stopped. The last few nights of dinner have been a lot better. Hopefully this will continue. Oh, on a little side not, Carson who as always been my really great eater is starting to show some pickiness. I don't know if he learned it from watching his sister or if this is a little taste preference on his part, but I am already not liking this. Please let this be short lived. Please universe. Please.