Junk Food Bandit

Here is something I wrote about 5 years ago. I just come across it. Hope you enjoy it.

The Junk Food Bandit

Kendra is our oldest and is a very sweet girl. She is the kind of child that makes you want to keep having children (and so we did). She is often called a “little mommy”. Kendra is very nurturing and cares deeply for her younger siblings. It is hard to believe she is in school. We are very blessed to be able to send her to a Christian school where she has thrived. Kendra has a content spirit and really enjoys life’s simple beauties, such as clouds, stars, and spring colors. While her behavior is normally good, she does seem to find mischief from time to time.

Kendra is a healthy eater and is usually willing to try new foods. She also enjoys sweets which she is only allowed to have occasionally. At times she has attempted to satisfy her craving using a few different methods.

One time when she was around four years old Kendra was moping around the TV room. I believe she was not allowed to play in the toy room from misbehaving. She eventually crawled up in the recliner and buried her head in the cushion. This was not uncommon behavior. After about twenty minutes I went to talk to her and she wouldn’t answer. When I picked her up I discovered that she had been straddling a bag of chocolate chip cookies. In our estimation she must have eaten 12 to 15 cookies. The moment was only lacking a picture. Cheeks full of cookies, eyes bugged out and the most sad expression I’ve ever seen.

From right outside of Kendra’s bedroom there is a set of steps going to the kitchen. The kitchen is connected to a large pantry, which contains some shelves used to store foods including snacks. That kitchen entrance is visible from the living room if you look through the toy room. One night Amanda noticed a pink flash out of the corner of her eye. It was Kendra sneaking to the pantry to get peanut butter crackers. Further investigation revealed this had been going on for a while. Twenty empty wrappers were discovered hidden behind her bed. She was caught probably three or four more times.

We have also had a time keeping her from eating on the school bus. She has learned the fine art of trading healthy snacks for chocolate and bubble gum. Usually the evidence would do her in since she would be wearing most of the snack on clothing.

This seems to be one of the few areas Kendra will defy us. It is sometimes difficult to discipline her for this since most of the time she is very well behaved, although we know it is necessary. I feel her outlook on life will never let her be motivated by money. She will have to do something in life that helps other people and is important to her rather than profitable. We could definitely picture her as a teacher, nurse, or full time mother. She often says she wants to have 20 children. It is funny to us that most people think we are peculiar for having a large family, but to our kids it is perfectly normal.

Update: Kendra is now 10 years old and is doing very well physically, acedemically, emotionally and spiritually. She now has 4 sisters and 2 brothers and excels as a homeschool student.