Trying Something New

Do you have a hard time getting your kids to try new foods or drinks? For us, it's torture! So you can imagine my surprise when the kids tried out coconut water on Saturday and loved it. Here's what happened:

After basketball , art classes and running errands on Saturday, we went home. Doing all of that with three kids is not easy and I just wanted to be home. The kids wanted to play outside so out they went. Amberly noticed some coconuts on the ground, picked one up and shook it. She realized that there was liquid inside and wanted it out. She told the boys and immediately there was picking up of coconuts and throwing as hard as they could to get them to break open. If you have ever tried to break open a coconut, it's difficult. They tried and tried, over and over, for about 45 minutes. I was shocked at their determination. Finally, they asked for help and JC went out and opened one for each. They put the coconuts over their heads and enjoyed every drop of water that came out. They loved it!

This goes to show that sometimes children just need to explore, wonder and learn on their own. I could have easily given them some of JC's coconut water that we had inside the house but they always refused. I figured if they want to see what's inside the coconut, they needed to figure it out on their own. It was a sense of accomplishment and awe. I hadn't seen them work so hard towards something they wanted, EVER! It was a good learning experience for them, with a tasty treat at the end!