| "Do As I Do" What's cooking by Zoe LaGrece We have all heard and many of us have experienced what I like to call the "Do as I say, not as I do" syndrome. Our children learn by observing us. So what we actually do, how we respond and how we live is what we pass on to the children. Living a life consistently within whatever principles you have for yourself is the least and most you can do to teach your kids. Education is ultimately about nourishing quality of life in a growing human being rather than placing them in any ideological mold. So it doesn't matter what you aspire to be. What matters most is how one's aspirations are applied to living. Children need to be allowed to experience the consequences of their choices to develop a solid sense of inner authority. If parents make all the decisions and have to be in control, children learn to be governed by an outer authority. If instead we can step back and let children make some of their own choices, they learn by the experience with a sense of their personal power intact. We create the opportunity to truly learn inner authority. If the consequences are not an endangerment to your children, you can best serve them by letting them experience the results of their actions. Learning needs to be relevant and meaningful to young people's lives. When learning arises from actual experience rather than from some "best system," it serves diverse paths of growth rather than some ideology. Our dietary choices nourish quality of life, as well. Experience is the best teacher, so when it comes to cooking dinner with kids, why not let them choose the menu and, of course, share in the preparation? I did have a "green rule" when my kids were young. There had to be at least one green thing in each meal. They were quite creative in their green choices: granny smith apples, nori sea vegetable, lollipops, Jell-O (which was found at Grandma's house), etc. Of course, I was thinking of green in terms of a vegetable. If something I wanted to eat was missing from their choices, I would cook an additional dish that I wanted and chances were they would try it when we all sat down to eat. I'm not even suggesting it is an easy process, but I have found if wholesome foods are available, they are likely to be eaten. Even if your children eat something simply to please you, we land right smack dab back in the realm of experience. If everyone is peaceful and content after a meal together, it is an opportunity to mention how great a good meal makes everyone feel. Even if it isn't spoken, it is still experienced. Each member of your family can have a say in what is being eaten within the household. You can opt to or not to eat some of the foods being cooked that someone else requested. My kids make pretty good choices or feel poorly after devouring the belly bombing choices. There is an awareness of how food affects them. Raised in a home with a mostly organic, vegetarian, whole foods pantry, they still want pizza and soda. Provide the best quality pizza and soda you can. Nearly everyone can discern quality. If the worst thing my teenagers do is eat poorly, I consider myself a huge success. After all, we've had a lot of fun along the way laughing and cooking and sharing meals. I even occasionally hear them dispelling pearls of wisdom to their friends regarding nutrition and food. I guess they were learning the whole time! Here are some of our favorite kid-friendly foods you can try cooking at home with your kids: Carrots Vichy Zoe LaGrece resides in Kansas City where Zoe's Cafe was located for 10 years. She is currently the producer/host of an internet show -- Zoe's Cookin' -- on www.wabn.net. She may be contacted at zl@wabn.net |
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