Boys with Hollow Legs

I'm a little worried about the day my sons become teenagers. I don't know how we will be able to keep them fed! Those boys can pack away astonishing volumes of food, and they aren't even school-aged yet. Several times I have caught my four-year-old son standing in front of the open fridge, perusing its contents. He will usually sigh and loudly proclaim, "Mom, I'm huuuuungry!"

The rule in our house is this: We have meals and snacks at regular times throughout the day. If, however, the kids are hungry at other times of the day, they are allowed to eat fresh fruit. My oldest son is capable to choosing and washing his fruit all by himself. He helps himself to the fruit bowl from time to time, but he usually asks first.

This morning I scrubbed the upstairs bathroom while the boys played quietly downstairs. "They're being so good!" I thought to myself as I worked, and I patted myself on the back. (Instead of gloating in my superior parenting abilities I should have run downstairs to check on my children...) As I finished up my chore the boys trudged up the stairs to see me.

"Mommy, I just ate a banana," my son informed me. The evidence of his snack was smeared across his face.

"Oh, well, did you share it with your brother?" I asked.

"No ... but he ate a peach!"

"I see." I then spotted the sticky hand prints trailing up the stairs and across my wall.

"I had a peach too, Mommy."

"You ate a peach and a banana?" I clarified.

"No, Mommy. I ate two peaches and a banana."

"Two peaches and a banana! But we ate breakfast less than an hour ago!"

Growing suspicious, I marched downstairs to investigate. Sure enough, the remains of a foot-long banana and three peaches lay scattered across the kitchen table. Two sticky and satisfied boys grinned up at me.

I think those boys should get some jobs soon. They need to start helping out with our family's grocery bill!