Holiday Rules

Battling top get your little one off the iPad or away from the TV during holidays?

Here are some great ideas you may want to try...

You may have as much time on your iPad as you like...as long as ALL OF THE JOBS HAVE BEEN DONE before you turn on the screen:

Have you?

• Made your bed
• Had breakfast
• Got dressed
• Brushed your teeth
• Brushed your hair

Done:

• 20 minutes of reading
• 20 minutes of writing or colouring
• Cleaned up 1 room (bedroom / playroom / lounge)
• Played outside for 30 minutes
• Made or built something creative (Lego / craft / puzzle)
• Helped someone - mom / dad / your brother or sister

...If all of the above is done - Then you can watch TV or play on your iPad

Simply loved this and wanted to share with all of you.

Lynne

lynne@babeeze.co.za

Monday Meals - Adding Herbs

Adding Herbs to your little ones food

Hi everyone

The start of a new week - and for me that means planning. When it comes to mealtime, I like to look for new ideas for the family - maybe try and add something new or simply get creative with a new recipe.

Looking at toddlers 6-9 months old:

Something to consider at mealtime is adding some delicious and nutritious herbs to their food. This includes herbs such as basil, chives, coriander (basically the green herbs). They can be added to chicken, fish or even vegetables.
It's good to remember that the more flavours you introduce them to at an early age, the wider the variety of "their" likes will be as they get older.

Also keep in mind, that although you may not like a particular herb, this does not mean that you must not introduce them to the taste. Let them develop their own likes and dislikes.

Fun things to do:

While on the subject of herbs, why not encourage your little ones to grow their own herb or veggie garden? A wonderful way to encourage kiddies to eat veggies later - especially if they have grown their own and better still, have picked them and helped mommy or daddy make the meal...

Happy cooking....

PS - feel free to send in your favourite toddler / kids recipe's to editorial@babeeze.co.za

"Creating Memories"

Coming from a family of four - some of our most treasured moments were always spent in the kitchen...

Invariably this would be when mom was busy preparing a meal - whether it was cereal or porridge in the morning before we went off to school, or preparing the evening meal, we would all congregate in the kitchen and share the happenings of the day to come or of the exciting things that happened. 

The kitchen table would be the centerpiece for all. Often piled with homework books, half empty plates, household post (when the local mailman would deliver to our doorstep), project paraphernalia etc. One thing is for sure - the kitchen table was always surrounded by bubbling kids, laughter, shouts and sharing.

As technology takes over and our lives seem to be more hectic with each new day, you need to remind yourself that everything you are doing "at this very moment in time" is creating memories. Do you want these to be fun and interactive with your children? OR do you want them to pass by as a blur and have no meaning?

Some fun Tips to help "create memories":

• Put some music on when you are busy preparing a meal. Music is something we all resonate with and it somehow just makes any moment special.
• Whether you have a newborn, a toddler or a teenager - include them in your activities.
•  Let them help you prepare the meal e.g. unpack the plastic (if a toddler) stir the bowl (if a kiddie) / set the table (if teenager) etc.
• Wash or dry the dishes. Unpack the dishwasher
• Let this be the meeting place - where you discuss your day's activities (a great time to encourage family chats and interaction)
• Let the kitchen table be the craft table for making things / baking / school projects etc.
• It's also a great "teaching place" - besides the obvious of how to cook and bake, it can also be a great place to teach little ones things like how to set a table (formal or informal); table manners; how to pack and unpack dishes or how and when to clear dishes after a meal.

After all...it's all about creating memories - and treasured memories at that!