We’re All Afraid of Something Sometime

Posted on January 7, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
-Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill, prime minister of England during World War II, wanted to inspire his countrymen and motivate them to continue their fight against a formidable enemy. To learn more about this courageous man, go to

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

What he said applies to our young children who often are beset with many different fears: fear of the dark and going to sleep, fear of monsters, fear of separation and getting lost, fear of new experiences and new places and fear of illness and death.Do you have a young child who is afraid of something? Is that fear keeping him or her from joining activities or socializing? Sitting down and talking to your child is a good step to take to try to help your child overcome that fear. But sometimes it’s hard to start a conversation about difficult topics. That’s why picture books are so valuable because they set the stage for a relaxed discussion about almost anything. For this situation,

a wonderful choice would be Frizzy The Fearful by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. This little tiger is afraid of EVERYTHING, but with the help of his friends and mother, he learns that he can cope with those fears.

THE STORY: FRIZZY THE FEARFUL
Written by Majorie Weinman Sharmat
Illustrated by John Wollner Poor Little Frizzy Tiger! He is afraid of everything…high places and low places, the dark, loud noises, and pits in pit-less fruit. He avoids going places with his friends and he misses out on many fun-filled activities because he doesn’t want anyone to know how frightened he is. When he climbs a tree to help a friend, even though he is terrified, Frizzy realizes that everyone has fears and he begins to feel a little better about his own situation.

As you read the story with your child, you will have an opportunity to talk about it. When you are finished, ask your child to relay to you what happens in the story. You can share with your child about times that you were afraid of something and how you overcome your fear.

Participating with your child in a simple craft project is another great way to open a discussion. The following easy instructions

will produce a badge of courage that your child can wear with pride.Perhaps your child has just been to the dentist for a cleaning and went without making a fuss. Maybe he has finished his first week of nursery school and, even though he was anxious about being separated from you, he managed to enjoy his time there. Here is a badge of courage you can pin on your child that affirms his willingness to overcome his fears and accept life’s challenges.

THE CRAFT: A BADGE OF COURAGE

You will need: 2 pieces of construction paper (1 light and 1 dark), aluminum foil, ribbon, paste and a pair of scissors.1. Cut a 3-inch circle from dark paper and a 2-inch circle from aluminum foil and help your child paste the aluminum foil circle on the dark circle.
2. Cut a 1-inch circle from the light paper, write your child’s name on it and help him paste it in the middle of the aluminum foil circle.
3. Paste the ribbon at the back of the badge so it hangs down a few inches.
4. Pin the badge to your child’s shirt with a small safety pin.

Never Too Busy For Your Child

Posted on January 5, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Sometimes it’s really hard to juggle all we have to do as parents…home, family, work, social and/or athletic pursuits. Yesterday I offered a few simple suggestions that will save time.

So what should you do with that extra time? If you have a young child, why not read a story with him or her and do a little eco-friendly craft project and a child-friendly healthful cooking activity? The time we spend participating positively with a child leave a lasting impression on him and help build self-esteem and a life-long parent-child bond.

THE BOOK: The Very Busy Day written by Diana Hendry and illustrated by Jane Chapman

Big Mouse is busy working hard in the garden and constantly grumbles that Little Mouse should help him instead of continuing his seemingly useless daydreaming. Little Mouse, however, has not been wasting his time, and has actually prepared a picnic for Big Mouse.

The story stresses the importance of spending time with your loved ones. Perhaps you and your child can tackle the task of simplifying and organizing together.

THE CRAFT: HOMEMADE STORAGE BOXES

You will need: Shoeboxes and/or boot boxes (with lids) or other size cardboard boxes, self-adhesive shelf paper (or gift wrap…you will have to glue this on), labels made from a blank piece of paper.

1. Decide what toys or supplies will go in each box.

2. Cut the shelf paper to wrap around the outside of the box and lid and press in place.

3. Write the name on the label (and draw a picture) of the toys or supplies that will be stored in the box and attach to the box.

THE RECIPE: NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

You will need: 1 cup peanut butter (health food stores often grind various nuts fresh daily and the cost is comparable to the leading brand peanut butters…for a little more money you could request cashew or almond butter for a different taste sensation), 1 cup honey, 2 cups non-fat dry milk powder, 1 ½ cups crushed cornflakes or shredded coconut for rolling the balls in, 1 large bowl, 1 cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

1. Mix the nut butter, honey and 2 cups of non-fat dry milk powder in a large bowl till well blended.

2. Roll mixture into small balls…about the size of a walnut.

3. Roll the balls in the crushed cornflakes or shredded coconut.

4. Place on waxed-papered cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

5. ENJOY!!!!!

6. Place uneaten balls in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.

7. This recipe makes about 18-24 pieces, 150-175 calories each…the more you make per batch, the smaller they will be and fewer calories each, of course.

Cooking With Preschoolers

Posted on October 26, 2010 by viviankirkfield

Cooking is one of the best activities for preschoolers. It builds their self-esteem as they master tasks and skills, mixing and measuring the ingredients. It teaches them about the foods they eat so they can make better food choices as they grow up. It encourages them to try new foods as they prepare various recipes, expanding their food horizons. Most importantly, they love to do it and cooking with your preschooler helps create a life-long parent-child bond.

Cooking with preschoolers is a passion of mine which is why my new parenting book provides 100 child-friendly healthful recipes and 100 age-appropriate, eco-friendly craft projects, in addition to pinpointing 100 picture books every young child should hear. The cooking experience is crucial because with each recipe your preschooler helps prepare, he gains confidence and competence and his sense of self-worth grows.

What ingredients should we use? The best that we can, of course! If you are able to purchase organic, locally grown, in-season produce…I’d encourage you to do that…I believe such ingredients will add immense benefits to your entire family while creating a less damaging impact on our planet. Organic or not, just make sure everything is fresh (check dates on dairy and other items…sometimes stores miss removing out-of-date stuff) and whether it is a snack or a meal, we want to provide low-fat, low sugar and high fiber combinations that are packed with nutrition. It’s important that they taste good also. However, taste is learned and we need to be careful of what we say and of our facial expressions when we are eating…many children develop food dislikes when they see a parent shunning a particular food.

Cooking with preschoolers is a great time to teach proper hand washing procedures. Make sure hands are washed before and during the food preparation process, especially if hands have touched raw meat or poultry. And definitely exercise caution during the cooking experience…preschoolers should be pouring and mixing the ingredients in the bowls, not stirring the pot on the stove. Any cutting with sharp knives needs to be done by the parent or other responsible adult.

I just came back from a wonderful week in New Hampshire…the New England fall foliage was at its peak…but the best part of the trip was the four days I spent with my two-year old grandson, Jeremy. We walked down to the pond every day to see the ducks, skip pebbles over the surface of the water, and collect leaves of scarlet, gold, green and brown to use in craft projects. He loved cooking in the kitchen…I’ve included one of the recipes below, along with the craft activity we did and the title of the story we read. If you’d like more story/craft/cooking ideas, you can go to the activities page of my website: http://www.positiveparentalparticipation.com/News.php

CHILD-FRIENDLY HOMEMADE CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

You will need: 3 lbs tart cooking apples (peeled, cored and quartered), 1 Tb honey, 3/4 cup water, 1 pinch cinnamon or nutmeg, and a large saucepan with a lid.

Combine the apples, water and honey in the pan, cover and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer till very soft and mushy, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or nutmeg and serve hot or cold.
Store in covered container in the refrigerator. Use within a few days. Makes about 4-6 servings.

The story suggestion for the above recipe is THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. This classic tale of a little engine with a positive attitude helps preschoolers believe in themselves and encourages them to keep trying, even if they don’t succeed at first. Jeremy loved the story…he is excited about all trains right now…when I finished, he said, “More book, Nanu!”

A container train with moving wheels is a craft project will enable your child to have a whole fleet of trains…if you both have the time and patience. For each train car you will need: 1 clean quart-sized cardboard milk or juice container, construction paper, paste, scissors, markers and metal paper fasteners. When we finished the train, two-year old Jeremy exclaimed, “My train, my train!”

Depending on which train car your preschooler wants to make, cut the container appropriately (for example, for a coal car – lay the container on its side and cut off the top).
Cut a piece of construction paper to fit over the outside of the container and paste it in place.
Cut out 4 wheels from another piece of construction paper and attach to the container with paper fasteners. The wheels will be able to turn!
Ask your child what the name of his train is (for example: Jeremy’s Express), and write the name on the side of the train. Use the markers to add details to the train.

For more cooking with kids in the kitchen ideas, check out http://kidsparties.about.com where Megan Cooley, kids’ parties and celebrations guide for about.com is hosting a blog carnival for the month of November.