Eat what’s on your plate!
I am getting super tired of hearing about how bad “today’s kids” are. They’re spoiled, they’re too techy, they’re rude, they don’t play outside… Who do you think is behind all of this, for starters? I don’t agree with any of these statements (save for the not playing outside enough one), but if they were true, would they not be from parents and other caregivers spoiling, buying the tech products, not modeling good manners, etc.?
Adults seem to forget that children are people, too—people with their own personalities, goals, likes, and dislikes. Instead, they see them as controllable objects to maintain, like pets. “Here, eat this dog food,” one might say to his pet, offering the same kibble at each meal.
The whole idea of forcing children to eat food they don’t like just sickens me. Maybe it’s because I can empathize; I certainly don’t eat anything I don’t like. Do you? When I was little, I was forced to eat chicken and dumplings at daycare and nearly vomited. Ever since, I cannot eat them, even though my husband loves them and would like to make them for dinner.
It’s not fair to ask kids to eat things they don’t like and then eat what you like—or don’t eat what you don’t like—in front of them. I saw this post going around Facebook the other day and got so irritated by people commenting things like, “Today’s kids are so spoiled! I would never make something special for my kid to eat.” No, but maybe you could use your brain and plan a meal they’ll eat in the first place—how about that?
I’ll tell you who is spoiled—the kids who are baby boomers today, and perhaps a generation or two after. They had far less homework than today’s kids. They had a parent at home who cooked, cleaned up after them, woke them up for school, and made sure they were ready for the day when today’s kids have to get up on their own, grab pizza rolls after school, and settle down with two hours of homework for nothing. Those kids played outside all of the time, ran around the neighborhood in freedom, and watched Saturday morning cartoons while today’s kids are watched like hawks out of fear or mistrust, cram in a week’s worth of activities in one Saturday since the rest of the week both parents are working (out of necessity, quite often) and remain inside often not because they prefer to, but because parents plop them in front of the television as soon as they can sit to keep them quiet. What else do you expect to happen from that?
If my child has a say in meal preparation—and she does; we decide things as a family—that is an example of our mutual respect. It also helps foster compromising skills, nutritional learning, meal planning skills, and especially peace in the home. Why fight over food because you, the “adult,” feel the need to be right and respected when it’s so easy to just respect everyone in the house?
Easy service projects for kids
Whether your kids want to give back to the community somehow or you just need to fulfill a social studies requirement, these service projects can be done quickly and cheaply. Most are good for year-round service, too. Pick one and spend your next day off teaching your kiddo how good it feels to volunteer.
Cookies for Service People. Our 4H Club just made two batches of cookies for the local firemen and police officers last night and we will be delivering them this afternoon. The kids made two batches plus a few cards to go with them, which are pretty darn cute. The older girls even drew firemen and police officer “chibi” people.
Blankets for People in Need. Whether it’s a crisis nursery or for homeless people, a blanket and other warmth-producing items are very valuable. You can collect them as a group or even make them. If you make fleece blankets to give to homeless people, be sure that they are dark in color so they don’t stick out. Fleece is a great choice because it doesn’t fray.
Litter Pick-Up. What city couldn’t use that? You can clean up your local park, your neighborhood, or even adopt a highway. This last option also gives your group free advertising if you choose to be recognized with a sign, so if your church group, 4H club, or other organization wants to get involved, that’s a great way to do it.
Tutoring. Middle, junior high, and high school students can tutor younger kids in the school subjects they are comfortable with. They also might want to teach children to read, help them with their soccer movies, or otherwise serve as a mentor.
Local Volunteering. Check with the library, hospital, nursing center, or anywhere else in town to see who might have some volunteer jobs for kids and teens to do. Some teens may find a really cool zoo internship that doesn’t pay but provides lots of great experience. Others may be able to put in a couple of hours at the library each week to help stock books or even read to kids.
Animal Care. Animal shelters are often so crowded that they don’t have space for enough animals—or enough volunteers to help out. You can come in and offer to walk dogs, play with animals, feed and brush them, and clean out cages. You can also volunteer as a foster family for an animal until he or she finds a forever home—or you can always adopt one as a family.
Social networks don’t work for businesses
Why do businesses even have a Facebook page? I am assuming it’s because they wish to drum up business, of course. Why else do it? I have worked for a couple of businesses, promoting their work on Twitter and Facebook, and while I have to say it’s the most boring work I’ve ever done, I also wonder if it’s the most ineffectual work, too.
Social networks are meant to connect people, right? The businesses I’ve tried connecting with on Facebook recently demonstrated failures of epic proportions. I pestered a local movie theater about their specials several times over a week without getting a response. I asked an organization that my daughter is in about an upcoming trip that we received a flyer about and still haven’t received a response. Um, hello, where’s the social part of this networking?
If you don’t have time to answer people’s questions, you don’t need to have a social networking page—period. If you’re busy, fine, but just having a page to post your specials and then not answering questions and comments is more than laziness—it’s bad business. If someone refused to talk to me when I asked a question in person, I would never give them business again. Why would it be different for your social networking page?
Eversave: Eternity Band for $15
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Five Below: Winter Deals for $1 and Higher
Five Below is featuring sales on $1 bracelets, $3 touch screen gloves, and more. Storage baskets, lockers, and other storage options are available for $5 and less.
Universal Class: 53% Off an Annual Membership
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Burger King: BOGO Chicken Sandwich
Burger King is offering a buy one, get one free deal on chicken sandwiches with this online deal. Choose from the original chicken sandwich, the new Philly chicken sandwiche, or the Italian chicken sandwich. Offer valid through March 3, 2013.
KIND: $10 for $25 worth of treats
Get $25 woth of KIND snacks for just $10 with this online deal. All-natural and gluten free options available.
Toys R Us: Annual Cyber Sale
Toys R Us is offering a huge Cyber Sale with up to 35% off select toys. Save on:
- Leap Frog Toys
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Chocolate Bars: Kashi Versus Fiber One
I like Kashi. I like their cereal and granola, and I like what they seem to stand for. I haven’t done a whole lot of research into the company so they could be less than what they seem at face value, of course, but so far, so good. When I look at the nutrient content of their foods, I do wish they’d be higher in lots of vitamins and minerals. They just look as if they should, and if they include so many good-for-you foods, you would think they’d be super healthy.
This week I bought two boxes of “healthy-ish” chocolate bars so I could have candy that was sort of good for me while I work at night. One box was Fiber One Brownies and the other was Kashi Chocolate Squares. Holy cow, are these different!
The Fiber One bars are absolutely delicious. They are medium-sized and filled with chocolate chips, and they are soft like brownies should be. Best of all, they’re only 90 calories, so you could have one as a midday snack. Of course, 90 calories or not, if I don’t like them I’m not going to eat them—but I will have no trouble eating these.
The Kashi chocolate squares, on the other hand, were not only nasty-tasting, but almost double the calories at 140 a bar. They’re not really any bigger and they taste like dirt. I couldn’t even finish my bar and I told my husband it tasted like someone had shoved my head onto the ground and told me, “Eat this dirt!” It tried to finish the dirt because I didn’t want to waste any of it, but I just couldn’t do it. I’m hoping I can give the box to someone who might eat them.
My daughter is seven and a chocoholic—she likes everything from caramel chocolate to milk to dark chocolate. She took a bite of the Kashi bar and spit it out. I couldn’t blame her, even though we don’t like to waste food around here. She ate a whole Fiber One bar, on the other hand, and wanted to have another—which I denied, of course, because they’re mine and she has her own box of chocolate granola!
I would highly recommend the Fiber One brownies to anyone who wants a chocolate fix. They don’t sacrifice on flavor at all and it really tastes like a real brownie.