6 Ways to Teach Your Child to Cook

Buy at Amazon

Cooking is one of life’s valuable skills that you can teach your child. In this way, they will appreciate food safety and nutrition in addition to building their science, math, and fine motor skills.

Bringing your kid into the kitchen space can open a whole new world for them where they learn about different flavors, ingredients, recipes, and the how and why of mixing and measuring. In case you are wondering how to go about teaching your child how to cook, This article give 6 tips to help teach your child to cook.

  1. Build their Motivation

Instead of taking your kid right into the center of action in the kitchen, consider spending time together watching a cooking television show. This will give your child a visual idea of different cooking processes, utensils to use, and inspire them to start prepping their meals.

As part of the motivation, involve them in creating special menus which you then proceed to prepare together. Let them suggest and reflect on the various food categories to include as this can spur their creativity.

Naturally, children are inquisitive and tend to enjoy processes such as cooking where raw ingredients transform into a complete meal.

2. Assign them Simple Kitchen Duties

Before they get to the point where they handle the hot stoves and sharp knives, let your child participate in simple meal related processes  such as setting the table, carrying food dishes to the dining table, and taking away the used dishes after a meal.

Even though some of these tasks may look remote, asking your child to help in drying dishes, sweeping, or emptying the cutlery basket gives them the discipline of a master chef. Most of these duties demand that they hang out in the kitchen thereby becoming more comfortable with time.

Cooking is both an art and a science, every little attribute count. Allow your child to develop these soft skills early enough.

3. Incorporate Fun Cooking Utensils

Make the cooking process as fun as possible by using unique cooking utensils. There is no rule cast in stone that a particular utensil can only be used in a specific way. If you are running short of ideas on the utensils to include, visit Village Bakery.

This is a resourceful platform that showcases among other things, specialty appliances, kitchen appliances, baking equipment, and other necessitates. Just as an idea, you can get cookie cutters and potato smashers for 3 to 5-year olds; peelers and blunt scissors for 6 to 7-year olds; food thermometers, kitchen knives, and pans for 8 to 12-year olds.

4. Begin with Simple Meals

Snacks and breakfast meals are some of the easiest to prepare. The point here is to introduce your child to the basic meal assembling process so that they can begin with minimal supervision. Instruct them and then give them space as you watch them mixing the cereals and milk, scooping yogurt and pouring juice.

Children love being in control and therefore even when helping them out, do part of the task and let them complete the other part. For instance, you may add the toppings to a pasta salad and then give them the space to create their own little pasta salad.

5. Address Basic Safety Skills

If your child is age 5 and above, it is easier to enlist their help with the actual cooking. Safety in the kitchen is paramount and the earlier your child gets it the better. Teach them safe knife skills by assigning them the soft and easy to cut ingredients such as tomatoes and bananas.

When it comes to the boiling pot, teach them how to stir gently so that the fluids do not bubble out or spill and scald them. If the pot is not very heavy, train them on how to take it out of the oven.

6. Pick Favorite Recipes and Cook Together

Being the closest person in your child’s life, you must have noticed what they like to eat. Starting with such recipes that interest them, shortens their learning curve and opens the door to more fun. You may be surprised by their ability to grasp even fairly complex recipes simply because of their interest.

The process to teach your child to cook is not any different from the other learning processes. The more your child practices in the kitchen and takes instructions from you, the more their knowledge is reinforced. Introduce variations from time to time and try giving them space and some independence in the kitchen. You never know what they are capable of doing until you try it.

Tree House Project: Make Your Kids Wishes Come True

Click to View More

Tree houses were all about a quick assembly of a simple little house where the kid could play with a bunch of friends and lead imaginary life. Today, tree houses are more of a complex building that includes certain luxuries unknown to the previous generations. Even so, this type of tree house building has a lot of benefits for the kids – a mutual work between the parents and the kids will bring out a lot of fun and educational experience.

The benefits of building a tree house

Building a modern tree house with your kids will take a couple of days, maybe more, but every step of the process will bring a teachable moment for the kids.

Physical activity – kids won’t even notice how hard they work while they are helping you build the tree house. This helps them be highly physically active, strengthening them and making them fit. It is an easier form of getting them active than forcing them to do regular exercises or a sport they don’t enjoy. Obesity is a frequent issue with kids of newer generations, and an outdoor project is what will entertain them and help them fight it.

Teamwork and problem-solving – the motto here is: the more, the merrier. Including the whole family will create team spirit and strengthen the bond between you. You will have a mutual goal you are aspiring to. And let’s not forget the problem-solving skills your kids will improve. Starting from calculating the size of the walls, the exterior look, the materials that have to be used and even the budget you need to stick to – your kids can be included in every step of the process, making their contribution, realizing what the limits are and how to overcome certain challenges. And all of that being done with close members of the family, figuring out the problems together.

Connecting with nature – spending too much time indoors separates children with natural processes around them, like changing seasons, leaves falling off, blooming of the flowers and lives of small animals around them. Building a tree house will expose your kids to the natural environment, and every day they spend outside working on the tree house (and later on, in the tree house that’s been completed) will show them what happens in the world around them, creating a strong connection with the living things in their backyard.

Sensitivity to risk – while building a tree house, there are certain things that can go wrong and endanger your kids’ safety, so it’s highly important to teach the kids about the necessity of taking precautions to avoid any injuries. Children learn from what they see, so make sure you are the role model demonstrating a cautious approach to work in order to protect yourself and others. It will prepare your kids for the potential risks in the future – they will learn to think in advance about possible dangers and they will know how to protect themselves.

Necessary tools for the construction

You don’t need a workshop to build a tree house, but here’s a list of the necessary equipment that will ensure quicker work, too.

Firstly, it’s important to note that angles and measurements stay accurate, so this is the part where your kids can help – but always double-check everything before you actually start cutting. A circular saw will save you a lot of time and effort here.

Next, as you will have to cut beams, studs and joists at a precise 90° so that they are connected firmly, a speed square is another useful tool for the precision.

A cordless and a corded drill are the next necessity, depending on the size of the hole you will need to drill.

Folding sawhorses are very stable even though they are really light. You can use them for cutting beams or to support a table with tools and smaller parts.

The safety gear you will need includes safety glasses to protect eyes from the dust and debris, cut-resistant gloves with a good grip. Earplugs to prevent hearing loss from loud noises, those power tools are sometimes just too noisy. And of course a pair of Australian work boots that provide protection and stability when doing any kind of handiwork around your house.

The most important parts

Supports is what you need to first decide on, and they include:

Posts – as they are inserted into the ground, they damage the tree the least.

Bolts – even though this is the traditional method, beams and platforms being inserted into the tree, this is very damaging to the tree.

Suspension – chains and ropes are what you use to suspend the house from bigger branches, but it isn’t appropriate for heavier constructions.

The platform and deck are the parts that need to be leveled and built as close to the trunk as possible, which could mean you will have to cut some holes if some branches get in the way. The deck should include railing so that no one falls off.

The access to the tree house – if the tree house is lower to the ground, it will be enough to put a rope ladder or the wooden one. But if the structure is high in the tree, a long wooden ladder with a handrail would be a better choice. If your kids enjoy adventures, you could even consider building a spiral ladder around the trunk.

Final words

Once you know the basic elements you need to have and to plan, they only thing left to do is to get on to work together, enjoy the learning process and everything that comes after it.

Class of ’93

I did not like high school and I would not have went to my class of ’93 graduation if I could have gotten my diploma otherwise – They refused to tell me if I would even have one in the folder – said I would have to come to find out…. Anyway, the feeling was mutual between the administration and myself. They gave me a diploma so I could leave town and join the Marines…

I wanted very badly to be in Explosive Ordnance Disposal, but after my timed firework display I ended up as a Tank Mechanic. The laughing in the background is me telling everyone I set up the fireworks – my tendency to tell on myself also precluded a life of crime.

I did not understand why everyone was mad at me at the time. I thought it was funny. I was sorry I scared the dude going into the bathroom…

I had a bigger plan for the class of 93 graduation than just fireworks – I had planned to wire a tape recorder to play “Another Brick in the Wall” through the loud speakers in time with the fireworks, but the kid with access to the sound system backed out.

Now that 25 years have passed I am certain the statute of limitations is up, but the night before I donned a black suit and gloves and climbed the fence to place some fireworks on the roof of the bathroom on the visitor side of my high-school football field.  The fireworks were attached to a model rocket igniter lashed to the frayed fuse to be in contact with the internal powder train.  The igniter went to a analog alarm clock with the face removed and a metal thumbtack attached at 12 o’clock.  a 6v lantern battery was connected to the thumbtack and to the metal clock body so that when the hour hand (I snipped off the minute hand) touched the tack the circuit was complete.

All in all, I timed it pretty well, people talked a lot longer than I had estimated so it did not go off as planned, but since the guy giving the speech gave me lots of sealed recommendation letters that I opened to find out he recommended me not to get accepted into programs, I did not feel too bad.

I wasn’t a very good student, and I got in a lot of trouble in high school, I regret not trying harder to fit in with my classmates, I am sorry they did not find the fireworks to be as funny as I did.

I didn’t really miss the high school experience, and looking back there were a lot of neat kids in my class – I spent most of my time hating the administration, which for various reasons reciprocated.

I am not the same guy I was in High School, none of us are, and I realize my fireworks were juvenile and ill conceived, but I still smile when I tell the story, and I don’t regret being different and forging my own path when the easiest thing to do was to be like everyone else.

All my other high school stories aren’t interesting enough to share, they revolve around being punished for being different and not showing the proper respect to petty authority, but its the Marine Corps stories that get interesting – and many prison stories, but since I still work in the correction field I will have to save those for after retirement.

 

How to Choose a Fitness Tracker to Suit Your Needs

Click Picture to Lean More

The first fitness trackers produced were primarily step counters, but they’ve evolved into much more. They now use sensors to track your heart rate, calories consumed, sleep quality, and body fat percentage.

They’re available in a variety of colors, shapes, materials, and sizes, and whatever your fitness goals are, you’ll find a fitness tracker to help you meet them.

While it’s nice to have a variety of options when choosing a fitness tracker, the volume on the market today can make choosing one difficult. However, you can narrow down your choices.

Consider the following five key features when making your decision about which fitness tracker is right for you.

Design

Image via Flickr by pestoverde

The type of design you prefer boils down to where you plan to wear your fitness tracker. If you think you’ll wear it only when you exercise, you’ll probably want a different design than if you plan to wear it to work.

Many fitness trackers are worn around the wrist, but some fitness trackers are worn as necklace pendants, clips, and rings. Many of these designs look like jewelry.

Some fitness trackers resemble traditional watches, with a large watch face connected to a narrow band, while others look more like bracelets. In the past, fitness trackers all had a similar, athletic-looking quality, but their designs now vary considerably.

Battery Life

Battery life is an important consideration. Many fitness trackers need to be charged every few days. You plug them into a wall outlet or computer when their batteries run down.

While most require frequent charging, some trackers operate using cell batteries that last anywhere from a few months to a year.

Corresponding App

Research the corresponding app before purchasing a tracker to find out if it monitors all the data you need. Check and see whether the fitness tracker you want is available online or whether it’s available only for download. Make sure it has an intuitive user interface.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing is another feature to consider. Many fitness trackers are water resistant and can handle a little rain, but if you plan to do plenty of outdoor activities, you may want to opt for a waterproof option. Moisture can shorten the life of a fitness tracker.

Calorie Counter

Many fitness trackers monitor how many calories you consume and burn each day. Some tell you if those calories came from fat, carbohydrates, or protein.

By monitoring your activity level and energy expenditure rates, the calorie counter can also tell you how many calories you burn each day. It shows you how your caloric intake and burn varies over time and lets you compare your day-to-day results. This evidence may provide you with all the motivation you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Wearing a fitness tracker is a great way to meet your fitness goals. When you’re deciding which one to purchase, think about where you’re going to wear it, its battery life, corresponding apps, and whether the device counts calories burned and consumed. Once you’ve chosen the one that’s perfect for you, commit to wearing it every day. It can motivate you to move more, eat better, and live healthier.

An Honest Evaluation Of Your Health Is Critical To Your Prepping Plans

Make Emergency Plans Based on You Actual Heath

Buy at Amazon

My husband Salty and I were riding our bikes along a trail one fine day when we came across a worried huddle at the side of the trail.  At the center of the huddle was a middle-aged man,  sitting hunched  and breathing in short gasps.  He was sweating far more profusely than the day called for and was red in the face.  The bike he’d rented lay discarded in the weeds (or to be more precise, the poison ivy) beside the trail.  Someone was already on the phone to 911.

He figured it would be no big thing.  He used to ride a bike (now and then) when he was just a few years younger. Sure, he hadn’t gotten much exercise lately, but it was just riding a bike a few miles along a trail.

Let’s rewrite the story just a bit.  Once upon a time there was a prepper.  He had a very carefully chosen and packed Get Home Bag, because if Something Bad happened and he couldn’t drive home, his plan was to grab this bag and hoof it to his home just seventeen miles away.  Sure, he hadn’t gotten much exercise lately, but it was just walking some miles.  He could do it if he had to.

But when this prepper gets to breathing in short gasps, covered in sweat, nauseous, and red in the face … there isn’t any calling 911, and help is not just a phone call away.  Our prepper is in a very bad spot.

Be real in your planning:

An Honest Evaluation Of Your Health Is Critical To Your Prepping Plans

It does you no good to make plans for the shape you’d *like* to be in, or for doing things you’ll *need* to be able to do in an emergency unless your body can cash that check.  Needs are not mechanisms.  Needing to do a thing does not make us physically able to do the thing.  Ask anybody who’s ever needed to be able to breathe under water if you don’t believe me.  O wait, you can’t.

This is why you need an honest evaluation of your health.

The only plans worth breath to describe are the ones you can actually carry out.  Stop a moment and think very honestly and realistically about what you can physically do, Today.  Compare that to your plans for dealing with emergencies.  If you plan to bug out of your city by foot carrying your Bug Out Bag, how far have you hiked carrying that thing this year?  Did that hike include the hills that will be in your way, the obstacles you will be likely to have to scramble over?

Sure, you might be able to gut it out; but you might also get stuck with an injury (much more common when you’re pushing boundaries) or a simple inability to follow through and be worse off than when you started.

When plans aren’t realistic:

If anything in your plans is not something your body can handle right now, you’ve got three choices:

  1. Forget this conversation and move on.  <– Not a great choice.  That’s day-dreaming, not prepping.
  2. Change your plans.  For example, Salty (my man) has knees that are not interested in hiking with a pack.  Therefore, our plans for getting to The Place (our rural retreat) involve our touring bicycles and saddlebags.  We *know* we can bike that far in a day because we do so several times a summer.  A less-than-optimal plan you can actually carry out is worth infinitely more than a plan that’s perfect except for that tiny glitch of ‘you can’t do it reliably’.
  3. Change yourself.  There are several great reasons to get in better shape.  Not needing medical care you won’t be able to get in an emergency is right up there; and so is being able to plan to do things like cut wood for heat and carry water up the hill to the house without having a heart attack.
    What about medical needs?

The majority of adults in the U.S. are now on prescription medications; most of those people are on more than one.  The best answer is to improve your underlying health not to need the meds.  If  that’s not possible or you’re not willing to change your lifestyle that much, Plan B would be is to stock up if you can.  If that’s not feasible, Plan C is to have researched alternatives and be stocked up on them.

If you struggle with depression, have some St John’s Wort planted where you can get to it, for example.  It has nice flowers anyway.  If you have diabetes, make sure your food stores are choices that don’t tend to raise blood sugar much (very unlike many standard ‘prepper’ foods).  If you have hypertension, keep the salt in your prep foods low, etc.
The main point:  The plan’s only good if it is actually likely to work, and asking too much of your body in a high stress situation is a recipe for disaster.  This is no place for ego; be honest to yourself about your capabilities and keep your plans within them.

About the author: Spice is one of the founders/owners of the website Beans, Bullets, Bandages and You, and one of the blog’s main contributors. She’s not a doctor, but has worked in the field physiology and medicine and has been published in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals. You can read more of her work at https://beansbulletsbandagesandyou.com. The photo shows the author on one of her training hikes.