Breaking the milk barrier

At the polyclinic today, where Sonny was getting his latest inoculation, we were reminded that we should start introducing the little fella to solid food.

Well, 'solid' is probably too grand a term for it: Mashed-up grain, whether self-blended or from a packet, is but a mere mushy peg above milk. Still, Mum - who obtained the necessary ingredients weeks ago, so they have been burning a hole in one of our kitchen shelves - can't wait to see how Sonny will respond. We may have previously called the young 'un a milk connoisseur (click here for the post), but he must surely be desperate for an expansion of his diet.

Except, of course, chances are he will reject the cereal at first, and otherwise insist at teary length on sticking to what he knows. For that's the way with adults too, of course. Once we get used to something, we forget how we are slowly being chained to the wheel of habit. There's the famous Chinese tale of the scholar who would pace his room so regularly that, over the years, he wore down the flooring without realising it. It was only after someone kindheartedly levelled the surface that he had a shock, stumbling over perfect flatness because he had trained his feet to correct for a rut he had himself created.

Similarly, then, Sonny probably has no idea how one-dimensional his diet is (sure, we've said he can distinguish between different textures and tastes of milk, but - when all is said and done - it's all much of a muchness, isn't it?). Being forced to begin to broaden his gastronomic horizons, so to speak, will be a jarring experience.

He'll thank us eventually, of course. He's now a step closer to trying junk food.