Well, I've given in on evening snack. Evening snack is a meal here in Finland, where you have a bowl of porridge or a sandwich right before bed. My American self wants breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner, and then the kitchen is closed - dishwasher running, surfaces wiped, lights off, all before seven or so.
So I've resisted iltapala. It means opening up the fridge around 8.30pm and dirtying more dishes and creating one more thing to clean up before bed. But my kids insist on iltapala! I've been shamed by them: "everyone else has iltapala, Mom!"
The beginning of the end came this summer when we were at the doctor and Magdalena noticed a poster about balanced eating:
There's iltapala, Evening Snack, printed there officially! Who am I to argue with a poster in a doctor's office?
So school started last week...and so did iltapala. The kids fix themselves toast, yogurt, a bowl of cereal, or finish anything that's left of their dinner. The deal is that iltapala is something you prepare, eat, and clean up by yourself. Otherwise, iltapala privileges will be revoked! We'll see how it goes.
