Giving the gift of MamaWritten by Samantha Olea, http://thebestmoms.com
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I’ll admit, at first, idea of writing down each one of my regular and specialty recipes sounded like a huge undertaking-but then I developed a system. All you really need is a notebook and a pen. I keep mine beside my oven as I cook, and as I add an ingredient, I jot it down and how much of it I used. This is a huge help for those of us who mostly cook from heart and really don’t know how much of this we put into that. Once you have all of ingredients jotted down, you go back later that night or later in week and go through recipe mentally, writing down steps, and bam! You’ve written your own recipe. The next time you are cooking that dish, try cooking it according to your recipe to make sure that it’s accurate. I did, and it worked, much to my amazement-but what really amazed me was how having it all spelled out in front of me made it even easier for me to make my own dishes. Try to pick out recipes that are traditional, those that are regulars in your household, and those that your children particularly love. This way, when they are going off to college, to be married or even after they begin having children of their own, they will have a little piece of you with them coaching them, teaching them, and comforting them no matter where you are. About author:
Samantha Olea is not only a wife and mother; she is the founder of http://thebestmoms.com , a great online resource for moms on topics from health to business and everything in between. She is also the owner of http://paintedplatesandbowls.com and the design firm http://getwrappedup.com. She is considered an expert in many fields, but keeps parenting and family the closest to her heart.
| | TAKING A STEP BACK FOR OUR CHILDRENWritten by Kay L. Schlagel
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If children are not taught self control, fair play, self sacrifice, moral values, then we end up with adults, that know nothing of those concepts, who go on to conceive another generation of same. Just as a quick example, what does it show our children about fair play and self control when at a child’s game parents’ of two children get into a knock down, drag out fight over a referee call? If I need to say anymore than that, then you’ve missed whole point of article. It isn’t going to work if one or two families finally “get it”. We as a society need to get our act together. If we can put a man on moon why is it so unreasonable to expect we can turn around this damaging trend of raising such a self-centered generation. Who instead of thinking that hard work, self-control, and patience is what makes a great nation, grow up with instant gratification to point of expecting self-fulfillment as being a right, without any work on their own behalf? Then on other hand, we have over-achievers, who feel that if they do not achieve success as soon as they have planned on it, they will be total failures for remainder of their lives. They have been pushed to be best, have best, by driven parents. I sincerely doubt that by your twenties, you can count yourself out or even profess to know for sure, what it is that you actually what for rest of your life. I guess, what I’m hoping for, is maybe to take a step back or two, for sake of our families and our future. Unplug your child from that video game or cell phone long enough to see if you even know who they are anymore. It is us, parents, buying our children brand new cars, brand name jeans, and best of everything, that keeps pumping up economy, to point that having two income families becomes a necessity not a choice. It is us, parents, who will have to come together to combat this trend. I was home most of time during time my kids were growing up. It wasn’t by choice however, I had become disabled. It was probably one of best things that ever happened to my kids and me.. Not fact that I got sick, but fact that I was home. Now they are grown, they’ve told me many times, how glad they were I was home, how secure they felt always knowing they had someone to talk to. For that matter, a lot of their friends chose to come to our house after school. I can’t count times, they would sit in a circle around my recliner, and we would talk about school, girlfriends or boyfriends, and dating There so many subjects, I can’t remember them all, but I do remember feeling of being connected to what was going on with my kids. Until now, I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to be allowed into their inner world. They were and still are great kids, and although my own and those informally adopted, have scattered further away now they are older. They all know, that “mom” is still just a phone call away.
I am a 45 y.o. female residing in Nebraska. I have two grown sons. I started my career as a RN but had to retire after ten years due to complications from childhood injuries. I am now working as an artist/author. I maintain a blogspot to talk about the book I have published called CINDY WHEN HELL FROZE OVER at www.mdmkay.blogspot.com, and an art portfolio at www.artwanted.com/mdmkay which showcases my oil, acrylic, and digital artwork.
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