As we planned my 8-year-old’s birthday party (4 months late, but that’s another blog), he made a specific request for Kool-Aid. I cringed. Kool-Aid. I don’t like the way it tastes. I don’t want my kids to like the way it tastes. More importantly, it really isn’t good for you! I left it at a maybe.
Why Kool-Aid? I’ve never served Kool-Aid. The kids have occasionally tasted it at friends’ houses. The real motive was revealed the next day.
“That’s what I want!” he exclaimed as I saw happy kids run up to a beautiful mom on the TV screen.
She held a tray of large, clean, red-filled glasses (Yes, made of glass). I thought it unlikely that this slim mom would actually serve flavored sugar-water to her kids, but the commercial worked and my son wanted Kool-Aid.
We went to the store for party foods and I walked up to the Kool-Aid. I read the ingredients. I put it back. I could not add an envelope of all the things I avoid to a pitcher of sugar water and serve it to my kids and our guests. Artificial color and flavor were prominent ingredients. I have children who are sensitive to food dyes, and was willing to bet that other 8-year-old boys attending the party may share this trait. Why would I add to the chance of a behavior problem at this testosterone-laden event?
I turned around and scanned the real juices behind me. At our house, juice is a special event. We usually eat whole fruit instead. I chose a white grape, cran-strawberry, and blueberry pomegranate juices. I’m not totally against fun, so I grabbed a bottle of Sierra Mist Natural, made with sugar instead of corn-syrup (another no-no for us) and dye and preservative free.
When I got home, the first question was, “Did you get the Kool-Aid?”
“I’m going to make home-made Kool-Aid.” I replied to the dubious birthday-boy.
I froze the blueberry-pomegranate juice into ice-cubes. Equal parts of white grape, cran-strawberry, and Sierra Mist mixed with the blue ice cubes and some regular ice cubes. I liked the way it tasted, and the strawberry and soda helped to give a light, Kool-Aid-like quality. The birthday-boy drank several glasses and was hyper enough without the dye.
The moral is that like our Heavenly Father, we must balance our children’s desires and requests with what is best for them. With love we balance the no, the maybe, the yes and the creative compromise. The misspelling of Kool and Aid belies the artificial nature of the product. When we want artificial happiness, our Father answers with the real thing. Next time I ask God for what I think I need, I hope to remember how much better homemade Cool-ade tastes and how much better it is for me.
God bless,
Kate
PS – Please don’t be offended if you love Kool-Aid. We all must make decisions that we believe are best for our families. I share my disdain for the product to help make my point, not to tear down Kool-Aid and Kool-Aid drinkers!
