Earth Day 2011: Preserve, Protect, Promote…How Parents and Their Preschoolers Can Participate

Posted on April 16, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Have you noticed how much your preschooler wants to be like you?

Look over at your child while you are engaged in some activity like reading, talking on the phone or even cleaning the house.

More often than not, you will see your preschooler mimicking you…the book may be upside down and the imaginary phone conversation may be on a toy…but emulating parents is what young children love to do.

With Earth Day 2011 quickly approaching (Friday, April 22), here are seven simple steps that parents can take to preserve the planet for future generations, protect our natural resources and promote environmental awareness with their preschoolers.

1. Buy gently used clothing and toys at consignment shops or places like Goodwill and donate your child’s gently used items as well. This cycle of recycling really helps.

2. Use homemade natural solutions to clean your home. They are better for your family and better for the planet. Here are a couple of links where you can find great “recipes” and other tips: http://housekeeping.about.com/cs/environment/a/alternateclean.htm, http://www.ehow.com/about_4777601_natural-homemade-cleaning-products.html, http://organizedhome.com/clean-house/pantry-recipes-homemade-cleaning-products. Happy cleaning!!!

3. Walk; don’t drive, to local destinations, if possible, like the store or the library.

4. Spend the day at a local park…bring a picnic lunch, gloves and a big garbage bag. Walk around and have your child help you pick up any garbage you find.

5. Bring your own bags when you shop…you might want to get smaller reusable bags for your young children so that they can help carry groceries in a more responsible way.

6. Buy local. I realize it is not always possible or feasible to buy organic, locally-grown or produced food. However, this not only benefits your family, but also the planet. The carbon footprint left by foods that are flown or trucked across the country is huge…and buying locally helps the growers and manufacturers who must compete with the large corporations. The nutritional benefits to your family include not having to worry about artificial colors, preservatives and genetically modified foods. If you are looking for healthful recipes, my book for parents of preschoolers, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, includes 100 easy child-friendly cooking activities, as well as 100 simple eco-friendly craft projects.

7. Buy in bulk with as little packaging as possible. Many stores now have a special section where they offer a wide selection of foods that can be purchased by the pound or less. The price is usually significantly cheaper than buying the product in a box with a name brand listed on the front.

Seven simple steps…if you only do a few, you will be making an important contribution to the preservation of our planet for future generations.

Seven simple steps…if you allow your children to participate with you, you will be encouraging them to protect our natural resources.

Seven simple steps…if we all follow them, we promote environmental awareness and the well-being of the world.

You can “like” b-kind-2-earth-day and go here for more information about what lots of other people are doing: http://www.facebook.com/BKind2EarthDay/posts/139097546162617#!/BKind2EarthDay

Make-A-Meal Mondays: Child-Friendly Veggie-Loaded English Muffin Pizza

Posted on April 11, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Some things just go together.

Peanut butter and jelly.

Children and buckets of sand to make sand castles.

A good movie and a bowl of popcorn.

A good book and a comfy corner.

When it comes to finding things that children like to eat, you can’t go wrong with PIZZA.

I remember when my children were young, English Muffin Pizza was a hand’s down favorite and it was so simple to make, they were able to help me with the preparation.

Here is a really HEALTHY version of this family favorite.

CHILD-FRIENDLY VEGGIE-LOADED ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZA

You will need for each serving: 1 English Muffin, 2 Tb fresh diced tomato, 2 Tb fresh diced green pepper, 1 Tb fresh diced onion, 1 Tb small broccoli florets, 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese, 1 Tb shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 cookie sheet.

1. Split the muffin and top each half with the veggies and cheeses.

2. Place the muffins on the cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, until the cheese is melted and the veggies are soft, but not mushy.

3. Let the muffins cool before serving to young children…be CAREFUL because the veggies under the cheese can be VERY HOT!!!

4. You can add or substitute other veggies or fruits such as sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, small cauliflower florets, diced pineapple…use your imagination!!!

This is only one of 100 child-friendly healthful recipes you will find in my book, SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. Saturday was the last day of the half-price sale and giveaway of the collection of craft supplies. The winner is Baxter at http://thebaxterbunny.com/ CONGRATULATIONS!!!

If you visit my website, you can check out this valuable resource that just WON the KIDLUTIONS PREFERRED PRODUCT AWARD. Hurray!!!!!

I’m also thrilled that I’ll be interviewed on May 24^th at 10am by Lisa Hein, Radio Talk Show Host of Everyday Parenting. Hurray!!!!!

And, last, but certainly not least, tomorrow I will be hosting Max the Dog and Anthony, his partner who are on a 36-day book blog tour. You can check them out at http://www.readwithmax.blogspot.com Please stop by here tomorrow and find out all about Leader Dogs for the Blind and an awesome new children’s book!

Make-A-Meal Mondays: CHILD-FRIENDLY NUT BUTTERS

Posted on April 4, 2011 by viviankirkfield

I’m a little sad…my son was visiting from Chicago and I just dropped him off at the airport. What an awesome weekend we had…filled with fly-fishing on a picture-perfect stream, gourmet dinners and lunches…some enjoyed at local eateries and others made with the help of my son who loves to cook (and is pretty darn good at it), long walks and important talks.

Building a healthy relationship with an adult child is an on-going process. It helps if you begin in early childhood by spending positive time with your young child and providing unconditional love. The process continues throughout adolescence and early adulthood when you provide emotional support and friendship…but no advice unless it is specifically requested. 🙂

One of the foods my children loved when they were young was peanut butter. On crackers, with jam or jelly on bread, spread on apple slices or celery sticks…it provides high quality nutrition and a taste most children love.

Why purchase processed peanut butter (or other nut butters like almond or cashew) when you can easily make your own, without adding sugar, salt or preservatives?

You will need: A food processor or blender that can chop nuts, ½ lb peanuts (or other nuts such as almonds, cashews or pecans).

1. Put the nuts in the food processor or blender. Cover and process until the nuts are finely ground.

2. Add a few drops of canola oil if you want it to spread a little more easily.

3. Spoon out your nut butter and store in an airtight container.

4. Spread on bread, crackers, apple slices…be creative!

Looking for other simple child-friendly recipes? Young children love to help in the kitchen. When you participate positively with your children…whether you are reading, crafting or cooking…you build their self-esteem, develop pre-literacy skills and create a life-long parent-child bond. If you visit my website, you can check out my parenting book that contains 100 simple healthful child-friendly cooking activities.

I hope you’ll keep in mind the Book Fair Event at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument, CO on Sunday, April 10^th from 12-4pm. I’ll be there, signing copies of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING, along with two other local authors. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Tri-Lakes Community Preschool Tuition Assistance Program. If you are in the Denver or Colorado Springs area, please stop by.

Also, please remember the book blog tour for Read with Max the Dog…you can visit the other blogs that are hosting: http://readwithmax.com/blogbooktour.html. My site will be hosting on April 12^th and I hope you will all stop by here for that!