by Carrie Bentley | Submitted Photo

Traveling with kids can be difficult. My boys travel really well, but we always struggle with eating on the road. Name any restaurant, and two of my three boys will be excited, and one will refuse to eat anything. Throw a food allergy in the mix, and I dread finding food on trips. We have started looking for fast-food restaurants in large gas stations so everyone can find something to fill their bellies.

One trip, about a year ago, went surprisingly well. We found a sub sandwich restaurant in a gas station. Sam, age eight and who has a severe milk allergy, got some bacon and a bag of chips. Tim, age five, found a meatball sandwich and a bag of chips. Emmett, age three, found a sandwich and a large container of grapes. All three picked out their own package of candy for dessert. We weren’t going to win any nutrition awards, but it felt like a small victory.

All three were smiling and happy when we buckled our seat belts. It seemed too good to be true. And it was. Before we were back on the highway, the bartering had begun. Tim asked Emmett if he could have a grape. Emmett told Tim that he wanted all the grapes and would not share. Tim appealed to Emmett’s sense of sympathy and said that his sandwich was too spicy,and one grape would really help Tim’s mouth. Emmett wasn’t moved and told Tim that if he had wanted grapes, he should have picked out grapes. Tim offered to trade a chip for a grape. Emmett told Tim that he didn’t want any chips and wouldn’t trade. Sam tried to reason with Emmett on Tim’s behalf, after all it was a huge container of grapes, and Tim was only asking for one.

It was no use. Emmett didn’t want to share, and he wasn’t going to be talked into it. When a three-year-old makes up his mind, very little can change it. The boys gave up. Tim ate his chips, and Emmett ate his grapes.

Everyone finished their meals in silence. Finally, they were all ready for dessert. Tim opened up his bag of assorted Laffy Taffy. Emmett looked at his bag of M&Ms. Emmett looked at Tim’s Laffy Taffy, with all the colors and flavors. Emmett asked Tim if he could share his Laffy Taffy.

Tim made eye contact with me in the rearview mirror, silently asking for permission. I shrugged. Tim started to smile. He started to giggle. He firmly told Emmett that he would not share his candy. If Emmett had wanted Laffy Taffy, he should have chosen Laffy Taffy.

We all looked at Emmett. He uttered a soft, “Oh.”

Silence once again filled the car, and I waited for the inevitable crying. Instead, Emmett looked at Tim and joyfully, as if it were the first time it had come up, he asked Tim, “Hey, do you want to share my grapes?”

Carrie Bentley grew up in Bismarck, gradu- ated from the University of Jamestown, and is a stay-at-home mom. She enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and quiet evenings after the kids go to bed. Carrie lives with her husband and three sons in Bottineau.