Picky Eater

>Give fluffy pony a bowl of baby carrots and greens for dinner

>fluffy tucks in happily as you eat your own meal

>lets out a little burp and toddles over to sit by your chair

>"All done!" she chirps proudly, head held high. "Pway?"

>look over at her bowl - the carrots are still there. She didn't touch them.

>Tell fluffy pony she's not done eating - she has to finish her food before playtime.

>Fluffy pony mopes, babbling in babytalk that she doesn't like carrots - she wanted celery instead.

>now, most folks would take out the hobnail boots and find themselves in need of another fluffy pony - but you just raise an eyebrow

>"You want celery, eh?"

>Fluffy pony nods - celery tastes lots better than carrots, she says. Lots better.

>You take a paper towel and tell fluffy pony that today's her lucky day, because you happen to know a magic spell to turn carrots into celery.

>you put the paper towel over her bowl, twiddle your fingers and say a few "magic" words as she sits, enthralled, not looking away for an instant.

>remove the paper towel with a flourish and present fluffy pony with a bowl of celery

>celery that looks and tastes a lot like carrots

>she gasps, wide-eyed, before she makes the food disappear

 

>you wonder briefly what other owners would have done - and whether they realize how easy it is to handle a picky eater.