I'm a little old school. I pretty much feel that children are to eat what they are served. I don't force them to eat too many things though (except green vegetables, sorry). I keep meal request in mind but I do not take daily meal orders. You either eat the House Special or you don't eat at all.
The younger two are usually good about eating what I give them. My 8 yr, old, however, is Mr. Picky. Everything for him has to be plain. No blueberries in the waffles or raisins on the pancakes for him. He sniffs his food! If the pancakes don't smell exactly like they smelled yesterday, he is NOT touching them. If I add salt or butter to the grits, he know's it right away. Papaya in the fruit salad? No thank you. I do try to keep that in mind when I prepare meals though and simply take his portion out before adding the extras.
Cream of Wheat, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Wheat. For the past week my boys have been asking for Cream of Wheat for breakfast. No matter what I prepare for breakfast they (all 3) come to the kitchen asking "Mommy can we have Cream of Wheat today, pleeease". No one wants fresh fruit salad, peacan rolls or even cold cereal and I'll loose my mind if I hear "Oh, it's just pancakes" again.
Anyway, I get up Friday morning and prepare what else but Cream of Wheat. I set the bowls on the breakfast bar to cool and wait for the boys to come out. I'm expecting big smiles and "Thank you, mommy!" Instead I hear "Cream of wheeeat? Can't we have pancakes?", from the older 2 and a request for "hot dogs and baked beans pweeze mummy", from my 2 year old, lol. What's up with that?
I've finally gotten up the nerve to attempt swirls again using my Nizzy Mould. Although the Home for the Holidays a.k.a Sleigh Ride Soap turned out nice, the colors were way clumpier (is that a word?) than what I really had in mind for that batch. 
