I thought that my mom was being herself when I observed how she used to finish leftovers from my and my siblings plate during mealtimes. “Mommy, I can’t finish my vegetables…” - to which she will respond - “It’s ok honey, leave it and I will finish it”. And wouldn’t you know, she will.

Several years later, me, a mom already to two very active boys who eat a lot, find myself doing the same thing my mom did. I now have this impulsion to finish off whatever is left in my kids’ plate (even my hubby’s sometimes hehe). Often, this impulse extends to the half-eaten whatevers that are in the refrigerator. Honestly, some cakes and snacks are too huge a serving for my kids to finish in one sitting. Mostly I am concerned of the food spoiling and being wasted. Other times I see it as leftovers of my hours in preparing and cooking the food that my family eats.

A conversation with another mom-friend during a barkada reunion resulted in a confession of the same habit at her house. We laughed and complained that it is one of the major reasons why moms gain weight. We could only sigh out loud. At the end of the day, that is a part of what moms do for their children and their family.

One great fact about moms that is emphasized by this simple action although such an unhealthy one, is that moms are just always there for anything that their families need them for. They are there to nurture, feed, dress, teach, serve, comfort, cheer (etc) their families. They are there for anything and everything, even something as simple as a leftover receptacle.

Happy New Year!