Recipe Note:
You can get 100% vegetarian marshmellows pretty easy now days
Big Batch:
6 Cups Rice Crispies [regular and/or coclate]
3 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cups Mini Marshmellows -or- 40 Regular-Sized Ones
Melt Butter AND Marshmellows At The Same Time
Mix In Rice Crispies
Chill For 10-15 Minutes, Cut And Enjoy!
Remember when summer seemed to stretch endlessly for you when you were a child? Did you savor the promise of adventure that each new day held?
Now that you are “the parent”, perhaps you’ve forgotten that the gift of summer is time…unstructured, simple time.
Even if you are a working parent, you can create space for your child to have unstructured time and:
Rejuvenate and relax Get bored and discover something new to do Make new discoveries about themselves Savor and strengthen family relationships
Ideas for savoring those lazy days of summer:
Nature! Be outside in new ways:
Get up early and take a walk in pajamas. Who is up at that hour? Are there workers? What are they doing? Have an all-day, out-side day…do everything outside…eat, sleep, read, play.
Eat! Summer is a perfect time to change the way you eat – even if only for a day.
Make popsicles and have them with dinner! Picnic on the living room floor, on the porch, or in the backyard. Try some new foods, try a new recipe.
Music! Many communities have free summer concerts.
Take a picnic. Meet friends, make new ones. Be sure to dance!
Books! Have a Book Festival!
Grab pillows, blankets, make a fort and bring out the “old” children’s books that your kids may have outgrown. They love reading them again. And this time, maybe they’ll be reading them to you! Libraries – visit often and take part in their summer reading programs. Be sure you have a stack of books for yourself. Read cartoons, comic books, and magazines, too.
Art! Summer is a great time to explore free-form art:
Sidewalk chalk – Decorate your sidewalk…and your neighbor’s (ask permission, of course). Invite them to join you. Decorate the neighborhood! Washable markers make great body paint. Draw on each other and then wash it all off under the sprinkler. Have lots of paper around…make little books, hang butcher paper on the side of the garage for a mural, envelopes and funny stickers for letters to grandma, make paper airplanes and have a flying contest. Papier mache’ (from very inexpensive powdered wallpaper paste) is a great way to create 3-dimensional forms, use found objects and paint the finished ‘creature.’ Paint or collage rocks. Paint smooth rocks to liven up the garden. Older children enjoy cutting out magazine pictures. Mod Podge attaches pictures and also protects them from weather. Add glitter paint, sparkles, googly eyes and gems for truly spectacular art!
And after all that, they may still say, “Mom, I’m bored!” That’s great! Bring it on! Let it happen! Listen to their complaints (with interest but do not solve their dilemma). Kids need to experience boredom…out of it comes creativity, innovation and a belief in their own capabilities.
And yes, the kids will argue and fight. Keep an ear out for danger, otherwise, let them work it out – outside! They are learning how to negotiate and navigate social relationships.
Be sure to take some time for yourself this summer, too.
You can clean the house in September!
Enjoy!
Janet Allison is a Parent Educator, Family Coach and Waldorf Educational Consultant. She teaches extensively in the Pacific Northwest on a wide variety of topics. You can find her at www.parenting-advice-from-mom.com and www.languageofparenting.com Her passion is guiding parents and teachers in using language as a catalyst for change, deepening relationships and inspiring confidence.
Recipes and nutritional concepts so that you can be assured your kids are being fed healthy, delicious meals! You will be better informed and your children will be happy and healthy!
School Lunches for Healthy Kids
Family time is crucial for children. Learn the importance of family time in this free video series about keeping your kids mentally and physically healthy. Expert: Denise Urban Bio: Denise Urban has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and two master’s degrees. She has been both a stay-at-home mom for five years and also a working mom. Filmmaker: Travis Waack
Get Your Children Eating Healthy Food And Cut Out All The Junk. Fast, Easy and Cheap Recipes For Busy Moms. Paying 75% per sale!
Yummy Healthy Tummy – Kids Healthy Eating Guide
Tips for serving crackers, tomatoes and cheese as a kids’ snack; learn how to clean and cut tomatoes and slice cheese for a healthy children’s snack in thisfree online video clip. Expert: Travis Waack Bio: Travis Waack has been playing basketball since he was 8 years old. He has played at the Junior college level and currently coaches his son’s team. Filmmaker: Travis Waack
The new children’s book : The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach™ is a timely and innovative series geared towards children ages 3-10. Mitch Spinach seems to be an ordinary kid, but his classmates have begun to suspect something. The notes in his custom-made, temperature-controlled Nutripak lunchbox appear to have been written in code. While other kids eat their usual chicken fingers and pepperoni pizza, Mitch Spinach mixes up his meal in a battery-powered blender before their curious and envious eyes. Although he is the smartest, nicest, strongest kid in Ms. Radicchio’s class, he often misses recess when he is called to Principal Lycopene’s office. The truth is that his high- powered fruit and vegetable smoothies give him special powers, such as super- sonic hearing and amazing night vision, which help him tackle problems and solve mysteries at Sunchoke Elementary. Because every family shares the burden of trying to raise healthy children in a fast-food/junk food filled world, parents are desperate for a hero who not only espouses a healthy lifestyle but also remains cool enough for their children to emulate. No book on the market today reaches this goal in an entertaining, motivating, and non-dogmatic way. Plus, all children like stories about “super” kids. Each book in the series contains a Teaching Points Section, written by Dr. Fuhrman, and a healthy recipe taken from the book’s adventure for parents and kids to try. The Mitch Spinach website also contains creative lesson …
As parents, we all make mistakes. Get tips for talking to your kid about your mistakes in thisfree video series about keeping your kids mentally and physically healthy. Expert: Denise Urban Bio: Denise Urban has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and two master’s degrees. She has been both a stay-at-home mom for five years and also a working mom. Filmmaker: Travis Waack
Healthy Eating Recipes For Kids. Quick & Easy To Prepare. Excellent Conversion, 75% Affiliate Payout. Affiliate resources at http://healthy-eating-for-kids.com/affiliates.html
Healthy Eating For Kids. 75% Payout.
Easy and fun recipes for kids of all ages. catieskitchen.podomatic.com
