Give your child a ‘role/job’ to achieve daily tasks in a playful manner “Do I have a removal man in the room?” –putting the toys away; “Do I have a chef in the room?” – helping with cooking; “Do I have a swimmer in the room?” – to get in the bath; “Do I have a post person in the room?” to go to the post box; “Do I have a waitress in the room?” – laying the table.
Spinach, feta and ricotta sausage rolls
Spinach, feta and ricotta sausage rolls – winter lunch recipe and veggie garden craft ideas
Grow some winter vegetables together, a child’s veggie garden is a healthy activity both for fresh food and the nature experience gained while digging and touching the earth. A little patch will do, even gardening in pots if restricted for space. Include a child’s watering can to give the seedlings a drink and pea straw to put a blanket on for bed! Four easy things to plant and grow are silver beet/spinach, parsley and mint.
If these are at your finger tips (or just silver beet or spinach) you can easily make this lovely lunch together (spinach, feta and ricotta sausage rolls).
Here is the recipe – enjoy!
8-10 big spinach or sliver beet leaves, washed. Leafy bits cut off from stem and all chopped finely
small bunch of parsley, washed chopped finely (optional)
8-10 mint leaves, washed chopped finely (optional)
1 onion, chopped finely
olive oil
nutmeg
ground pepper
100g fetta
100g ricotta
Puff pastry (I use frozen sheets)
Method:
Put onion in fry pan/wok with olive oil and cook gently. Add chopped spinach/silver beet, parsley and mint. Cook until spinach leaves have wilted and the whole lot is reduced. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl crumble fetta and ricotta. Sprinkle on nutmeg and pepper. Add the cooled spinach, parsley, mint mix. Mix well. (I often put the whole lot through for a quick whiz in the blender – makes the next bit easier).
Cut a sheet of frozen pastry into 4 pieces. Spread the mix over the 4 pieces, near to the end. Wet the end with water and roll up. Prick the top of the pastry. This amount of mixture makes 8 rolls (i.e. uses 2 sheets of pastry). Cook according to pastry instructions (about 20 minutes at 200C in my oven). Allow to cool slightly before handling, and eating – yum!
Inspirations for Parents
You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back. – William D. Tammeus
Mother Nature is wonderful. Children get too old for piggy-back rides just about the same time they get too heavy for them. – Unknown
Creative Discipline Tips
Involvement
Include your child in all your home tasks each day, to a child work is play and keeps the young child happily playing and connected to you. A little broom next to your big broom in the kitchen, a small washing basket to carry their own socks and pants to a little washing line next to the big one! A mail bag or trolley is special to a young child to collect the mail – like a post person – each day from the letter box. A little shopping bag to look for one or two items in the supermarket, whilst shopping, or pay for a piece of fruit. A step to help to chop (soft foods with a butter knife at first) and stir in the kitchen is an essential home item with young children, and to help to wash up with bubbles.
Car journeys
While we are on bubbles, is getting into a car seat tricky? Take some toys – that need looking after – or new books in the back. A little pot of bubble mix is handy to keep in the glove compartment; when a child is all buckled in, ready to go with seatbelt on, she can have a turn at catchy three rounds of bubbles!
Rest time
Make sure there is a quiet period each day to rest and relax, if your child is always on the go; try reading a book to big teddy on your big bed, little feet usually find their way there too!
Story Telling – a wonderful gift
Start a family tradition of ‘storytelling’; it is a precious gift for your children! First choose your family character, ours is ‘Bingo’ the dog, it could be ‘Fluffy’ the rabbit or ‘Arnold’ the Owl etc Start to tell a tale at bedtime, or other times of the day/week. Start a story and off you go (it is like singing – children like any effort!). Story telling is a useful tool if a child is hurt; tell a tale of how ‘Bingo’ felt better. Also, if a lesson is being learnt, ‘how bingo learnt to share with a doggy timer!’
Family stories become really useful on long walks and car journeys, you will not hear “Are we there yet?”, so frequently! Don’t forget, “When I was a little girl…” stories. Let your children know that you made the same mistakes as a child, and how you learnt lessons. “When you were a baby…” stories are loved by all children too. Share their funny and loving tales; surround them with kind words of their life. The tradition of storytelling is being lost in our fast paced, technological world. It is free, magical and definitely warms the hearts of children. Story telling magic weaves its way into the family memories for a long time.
Hot Cross Bun Recipe
Hot Cross Bun Recipe (baking with children at Easter time can be a lovely Easter rhythm)
210ml milk, 1 egg, 450g plain flour, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 11/2tsp mixed spice, ¼ cup caster sugar, 50g butter, ½ cup currants, 3tbsp sultanas, 3tbsp mixed peel, 1 ½ tsp dried yeast
Mix all of the above ingredients together, knead for 10 mins before dividing into 12 pieces. Shape into balls and leave to rise in a warm place for 30mins.
For the crosses:
50g plain flour, 2tbsp butter, a little water
Rub the flour and butter together, add water to make a soft dough, roll out with your fingers (like making a snake) and place on the buns in a cross (two snakes!)
Bake in a 200c oven for 15 to 18 mins, until golden brown. Eat warm -yum!
Parenting Inspiration – Priorities
“A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of home I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important to the life of a child” Anon
Autumn Craft with Leaves
Autumn – I love this season and it is partially lovely for simple natural craft. Leaf Rubbings are so much fun with young children. Go to a park with lovely autumn leaves, or for a local nature walk, and find a big autumn tree. Choose some lovely big leaves with big veins. Once home, turn over the leaf so that the veins are sticking up, place a piece of paper over the top and rub with a large crayon. The leaf will miraculously appear on the paper. Leaf rubbings are fun for all ages! Try making a leaf crown (to be King or Queen of Autumn) too. All that is needed are big autumn leaves (and nothing else!) Use the stem to pin through the next leaf in a circle to make a ring (a bit like a daisy chain). Now you have a crown for your child’s head – wonderful! This is a fun activity with a picnic under a tree!
Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline Book
Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline during the Toddler and Preschool Years is my first book published by Five Mile Press (RRP $12.95 for 160 pages). Available from this site, please Contact Lou
“Turning Tears into Laughter will lighten the load and enlighten the mind. I believe it would be impossible not to be inspired by Lou Harvey-Zahra’s good hearted, infectious enthusiasm.” John Allison (teacher, consultant, author).
Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline during the Toddler to Preschool Years is a unique book. It is based on the ‘least restrictive first’ model of dealing with young children’s behaviours. This method, renamed ‘Creative Discipline’, can transform challenging moments into positive outcomes; appropriate behaviours can be achieved whilst the parent and child bond remains connected. Turning Tears into Laughter provides tools and tips to help parents navigate the deep waters of early childhood with confidence – and the sense that they are not alone! Real life parent stories, tips, reflections and beautiful photos give this book an inspiring, practical and personal feel.
Creative Discipline techniques result in the following: simple solutions to inappropriate behaviours; a learning environment that is fun and nurturing for the young child; support for the child’s self esteem; a greater understanding of the child’s needs, since the system goes to the root of the behaviour; a reduction in tantrum, tears and hurt feelings; the child learning positive skills for life; prevention of behaviours escalating; a safe and predictable environment for young children; happy families where each person feels included and valued; a more relaxed parent and child relationship, which can lead to a connected adult relationship with your grown-up child.
Section one outlines how parents can: lay the foundation for creative discipline through daily rhythms, play, and healthy food choices; and to ask the question ‘Why?’ to gain an understanding of your child’s motives and needs during trying moments.
Creative Discipline tools are outlined through out section two: redirect the child into an appropriate play choice or situation; change the environment around the child to successfully change the challenging behaviour; use creative speech for the word, ‘no’, to create a win-win situation, with the outcome still within the parent’s hands; create giggles and games during everday challenging moments (life does not have to be so serious); provide a choice between two options, to maintain boundaries while lessening tears and tantrums; be a positive role model for your children to follow; learn to praise your child as positive reinforcement to achieve appropriate behaviours; and the ‘quiet removal’ if all else fails.
The final section covers common toddler tantrum scenarios, from bath time to bed time, meal time to leaving a park, sharing to sibling rivalry. It also outlines how to start a creative discipline diary at home. This book holds the power to turn ‘tears into laughter’ and to successfully change family life.
“Turning Tears into Laughter is full of inspiring and practical ideas. It will be one parents find themselves taking off the shelf over and over again.”
Mandy Abbott (Mother of two, Kindergarten Teacher and Playgroup Leader)
What a smile!Turning Tears into Laughter is available (or can be ordered) from all good bookstores or from this site – enjoy! For book orders Contact Lou
Ask your local library to stock Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline for the Toddler and Preschool Years (Five Mile Press)
Restful Inspirations
“A field that has rested gives beautiful crop” (Anon)
Make time each day to look into your child’s eyes, smile, sing a song or lullaby, read a tale, tell a story, cuddle, touch and love (time where there is no hurry, no busyness and no stress).