The time I ate my kid’s popcorn

My husband and I were watching a video clip on youtube when our three-year-old daughter pulled out a bag of microwave popcorn from the cupboard and brought it to us. “What a wonderful suggestion,” we thought. So the video was paused, the corn was popped, and my daughter climbed onto my lap with her little purple bowl of popcorn as the video resumed. Adorably, she turned to offer me some. I politely accepted.

That’s when her trouble began.

Ah, yea. That’s the good stuff. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She held the bowl in front of her after that initial offering, but I assumed it was a standing offer. I reached around and grabbed a few pieces. She watched me and turned again to say, “Only one at a time, okay?”

“Okay,” I said and popped a piece in my mouth…one at a time.

Once those were gone, I reached forward and grabbed two more.

“Okay, just two,” she instructed me.

I nodded a “Sure thing, kid,” and kept on munching. I continued to take small portions from her bowl while she eyed me warily. My husband, sitting in a chair next to me, was holding the bag itself. It was a little less convenient than the bowl being held by someone on my lap, but I figured it was worth the extra work to not get the third degree every time my mouth was empty.

My daughter noticed this new plan of mine, pointed to the bag, and nodded her approval. In the meantime, her little bowl was refilled from the bag a couple of times to the point where the bag was now empty and her bowl contained the last remaining buttery corn of goodness.

Naturally, being a good mother who concerns herself primarily with her child’s happiness and well-being, I grabbed again from her bowl. That’s when my sweet little child, who regularly pulls my face to hers in order to kiss it, got all territorial on me. When before she had turned toward me to offer, now she did the opposite: she turned slightly away, her shoulder went up, and she shielded her bowl protectively from my hungry fingers.

Fine, kid. Have your few paltry pieces of popcorn! See if I care!

Soon enough our video was over, her popcorn lamentably gone, and she was off my lap and starting the bed time routine with dad. Then my oldest emerged from her bath, sniffed the air, and immediately knew she had missed out on something good. “You snooze, you lose” came to mind. But then I shrewdly reconsidered.

“Sure, honey, we can pop another bag of popcorn.” I smiled sweetly.

*Stay tuned for Part 2!

When have you ever not shared or sneaked some of your kids’ goodies?