Healthy Habit Thursdays: Give Your Kitchen a Health Makeover

Posted on February 24, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Genre scene, woman in kitchen peeling vegetables

Image by George Eastman House via Flickr

What do you think are the dirtiest, most germ-laden areas in your home?

Most people would probably say the bathroom or the kitchen.

Interestingly enough, studies reveal items like your television remote, cell phone and computer keyboard are actually the culprits!

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/08/ten-most-germy-places-in-the-home/

How many of you lifted your fingertips off the keyboard just now? 🙂

No worries…you can easily clean it by turning it upside down and gently shaking to release any crumbs…then wipe with a cotton ball slightly damp with alcohol or special computer cleaning fluid and finish with an antibacterial wipe. Clean each key…the black ones are dirty even if you can’t see the bacteria. 🙂 For more detailed information: http://www.ehow.com/how_2215315_clean-computer-keyboard.html

Even though some research has put computer keyboards, TV remotes and cell phones at the top of the germ hot-spot list, the kitchen is not far behind.

So what can you do to insure that your kitchen is a safe place to prepare and store food for your family?

Here are 6 simple steps to give your kitchen a Health Makeover!

1. Always start with freshly washed hands when preparing or serving food…then wash hands, utensils, countertops and cutting boards, especially after touching raw meat or poultry.

2. Promptly refrigerate leftovers…bacteria can grow at room temperature.

3. Switch to glass food containers because some plastics contain chemicals that leech into the food.

4. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and remove outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage.

5. Wash off the tops of cans before opening…you never know who or what was crawling on the merchandise in the store warehouse.

6. Rinse off your can opener after each use…and give it a good wash on a regular basis.

Young children love to help in the kitchen…mixing and measuring give them a sense of competence…one of the building blocks in the formation of a positive self-image. If you are looking for fantastic fun-filled cooking activities, check out SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING, available right now at half-price on my website.

Don’t forget, Mother’s Day is coming sooner than you think (May 8^th)…why not grab a copy for a special mom or grand-mom in your life. And maybe one for yourself! It’s a gift that provides 100’s of fun-filled educational activities…and answers the question…what are we going to do today?

What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday: TOUGH EDDIE

Posted on February 23, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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When you were a child, did you ever keep information about yourself or your family hidden from your friends? Do you now?

While I’m not saying we need to blab on and on to friends and acquaintances about all the personal stuff in our lives, I do think that it is healthier to at least be honest about your likes and dislikes.

Let me relate a really FUNNY story about what happens when you don’t tell people how you feel…I think many of you will be shaking your heads in recognition of a similar experience.

When my husband and I were first married, my mom invited us for dinner. Now, although she was an adequate cook, I wouldn’t put her meals in the “gourmet” category. I’m not sure why she chose this particular recipe…she did make a fantastic roast beef…and her homemade mac and cheese was out-of-this-world!

The table was set with her best linen tablecloth and the china and silverware that she only used for “company”…everything looked beautiful!

We sat down and she brought in a large platter of chicken and tomatoes, garnished attractively with sprigs of parsley. After everyone had taken some, we began to eat and my husband, wanting to make a good impression, complimented her on the delicious meal. “What do you call it?” my husband asked. “Chicken Momma Mia,” she replied. At the end of the meal, my husband again raved about how delicious it had been, but on the way home, he admitted that he hadn’t really enjoyed it…and I agreed that it had been somewhat bland.

Fast-forward to a few weeks later…we had received another invitation to have dinner with my parents. Again the table was beautifully laid…and again my mother brought in a platter of…you guessed it…CHICKEN MOMMA MIA! This time my husband was a little less enthusiastic with his compliments…but I guess the damage had been done…and we were served Chicken Momma Mia several more times before we told my mother that perhaps the next time, we could enjoy one of her other culinary creations.

This is what happens when we are not honest with others. I’m not saying one should be brutally honest…just the word “brutal” tells you that this is not a nice kind of honesty. We can be honest without being nasty or rude or hurtful…but we should be honest.

Parents especially need to be honest with their children and in front of their children…we are their role models and they ARE watching us, all of the time…even when we don’t think they are paying attention or listening. We want them to be honest…with themselves, with us and with others.

The picture book I am recommending today is one that is matched with a simple craft project and an easy healthful recipe in my new parenting book. TOUGH EDDIE shows how even young children hide their likes and dislikes in order to “fit in”.

TOUGH EDDIE

Written by Elizabeth Winthrop

Illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Eddie loves to wear his cowboy boots and thick leather belt. He enjoys building with blocks and playing with his friends, Andrew and Phillip. Eddie also likes playing with his very own dollhouse, but he keeps it hidden from his friends because he believes they will make fun of him. However, he discovers that his friends would like to play with it also and that they respect him and like him as he is, no matter what he is playing with.

If we encourage our young children to pursue their own individual interests…whether or not those interests seem to be the norm, we are telling them that they are likeable as they are. Feeling good about oneself and liking oneself are important factors in the development of a good self-image. In addition, a child with a strong positive self-image is less likely to be influenced by peer pressure into doing what he knows is wrong.

If you’d like to have 100 story summaries like this one at your fingertips…hop over to my website, where you’ll find SHOW ME HOW! on sale right now at half-price. Each of the 100 story recommendations is accompanied by an eco-friendly craft activity and a child-friendly recipe! Are you a parent or teacher or grandparent of a preschooler? Or do you need a great gift for someone who needs a shortcut to planning activities with their young children. Grab a copy…it comes with a money-back guarantee!

What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday?

Posted on February 16, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed when you walk down the aisles of a bookstore or library…so many choices…which one should you pick? I know I do!

It is also difficult for parents who want to choose good books to read with their children.

These posts on Wednesdays are dedicated to busy parents and teachers who are looking for quality picture books, but don’t have a lot of time to search through the stacks.

Since this week I seem to be following a theme of LOVE, I’ve chosen I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART, one of the stories I recommend in my new parenting book.

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART

Written by Noris Kern

Illustrated by Jean Baptiste Baronian

Polo, the baby polar bear, wonders what it means when his young caribou friend, Walter, tells him that his mother loves him with all her heart. Polo goes home to ask his mother and she explains that she loves him with her mouth when she kisses him, with her paws when she tickles him, with her belly when she hugs him; in other words, with her whole self or whole heart. Polo is extremely comforted by this revelation. Before he goes to sleep, he tells his mother that he loves her with all his heart too.

Charming illustrations and a simple text help young children enter the world between the pages of this book. Young children need to be reassured that their parents love them. All too often, we interact with our children only when we want to correct their behavior. This is really a reinforcement of their negative behavior. Perhaps, instead, we can follow the principle of Positive Parental Participation.

If you are enjoying the time you spend with your young child, whether it is reading the picture book or working on a craft project or preparing something together in the kitchen, that joyful interaction will help your child feel valued and valuable, an important step in the formation of high self-esteem.

Are you looking for great picture book recommendations and simple, easy-to-do fun-filled educational self-esteem building activities? Pick up a copy of the book that provides it all…now at a substantial saving at 50% off the cover price.