So, I've been trying to get Emma to eat all the food on her plate, since she's been wasting a lot of food. In order to get her to finish her food, we've taken a cue from one of her friends mom's and we call it a "happy plate", if she eats everything on her plate. Then she can have dessert if she makes a happy plate. Simple.
The other day Emma made a happy plate and so I let her choose her dessert. She didn't like any of the choices I offered her, so she opened the refrigerator door to see what else was availble.
Emma: "I want a carrot for dessert, but you have to cut off the celery. The celery is not for dessert"
Me: "The celery?"
Emma: "The celery on top of the carrot, it's not for dessert."
Me: "But the carrot is for dessert?"
Emma: "Of coarse, Mom, but not the celery"
Me: "Good to know"