Parenting for Beginners - Peas To Meet You, Fussy Eaters

I have invented something fabulous.

It is called a peabab.

Basically, you get a cocktail stick, skewer as many peas as you can on to it, so you end up with something that resembles a mini kebab made of peas.  And that's the peabab.  I told you it was fabulous.

If you are a small child (not too small though - cocktail sticks a bit pointy for some), you then consume said peabab, and get started on making another one.  You may briefly wonder why your mother is doing her Happy Dance, but you carry on and soon have consumed more peas in one sitting than you did in the last year.

It's ridiculous some of the things we do to get children to eat more healthily.  Having extensively researched the subject over the last 7 years, I can tell you that some of the most effective ways to get your little blighter darling to eat more veg are:

• Invite round a pal for tea.  If you happen to be the proud parent of The Boy Who Likes Carrots, rest assured that your child will never be short of a dinner date.
• Focus on the things that they do eat, and make them the most nutritious versions you can find.  Anybody want a loaf baking, I do the healthiest bread in Brighton?
• Bribe them with stickers.  Why are stickers such kiddie-crack?  It's a mystery, but it works.
• Astonish them with a peabab.  You know it makes sense.