Let me set the stage so you can picture a mealtime conversation at my parents' house last weekend. Saturday night my Mom had served shrimp and oysters - Type O neutrals, but Type A avoids. My daughter had never liked either of those seafoods when she was little, again illustrating child's natural inclination to choose appropriate food. She ate lots vegetables that night, and got her protein by dipping vegetables in peanut butter. My Mom was ok with that.

Sunday my Mom fixed steak. When she was little, my daughter didn't want to eat red meat either. In my BTD ignorance I had pushed her, and she had reluctantly eaten roast and steak. Now that she knows red meat is avoid for Type A, she has happily given up both of them. My Mom was not prepared for her to pass on meat two meals in a row, and hurt feelings were starting to show.

My Mom and Dad are both Type Os. I grew up in a home where we ate lots of meat because we all naturally liked it. (We also, unfortunately, ate a lot of baked goods and desserts because they are part of the Southern culture) My Mom looks at a child who doesn't eat meat as unhealthy. I had to intervene.

"Mom," I said. "You know she is Type A, and she's made different from you and me. Remember how she never wanted to eat meat when she was little?" (My Mom remembered) "She gets plenty of protein from good Type A sources. She had a soy shake this morning, and she's eating peanut butter now. She has plenty to eat. She's not unhappy about the meal. The only thing she is unhappy about is that she might be hurting your feelings."

I am so blessed to have a Mom who listens! The meal proceeded, and we were all contented.

Reviewing that conversation has given me several mental images. I picture a Type A mother serving her Type O children scant portions of meat, or worse, forcing them into vegetarianism. I picture a Type O mother making her Type B children eat chicken. I picture grandmothers pushing their Type O and A grandchildren to drink milk (and get those ridiculous milk mustaches) because milk is supposed to be the best source of calcium for growing bones.

Without a basic understand of BTD, confusion reigns in a mixed blood type home.