Steady Mom

Crying Over Spilled Cereal

The following post is written by Steady Mom's monthly contributor, Angie.

It was one of those days.

We woke up to my husband's tires flat - all of them. We were out of milk. I was in charge of crafts that morning at my moms' group, but he needed our other vehicle for work. The kids were misbehaving and I was losing it, quickly.

It was only 8am and I was ready for a do-over.

A friend picked us up for MOPS, yet on the ride there and home I cringed at how loud and whiny my kids were being. My frustration was at a breaking point.

Finally back at home, and just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I looked over to see the entire box of cereal on the floor--and my 18-month-old jumping in it. 

How to Cook with Kids...Without the Frustration

Photo by Esben Emborg

It sounds so lovely--gathering in the kitchen with children, making meals together, learning to cook.

But the reality of kids cooking can be a bit different, especially if your kids are quite young.

It's no good to have your kids in the kitchen only to keep raising your voice with a "Don't touch that! No, that's not for you."

I've been there, and over time I've developed a few techniques that have allowed me to enjoy having meal "help," without the frustration.

Here are three tips you may want to try.

 

The Importance of Reading to Children

Photo by Pratham Books

This post was originally published on March 29, 2009.

I recently finished The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, which has sold over one million copies. Amazing! This book furthered my passion for children's literature, and inspired me to begin a series on the importance of reading with our children.

Not that it's tough to excite me on this topic - as a former English major, I'm always looking for a good excuse to "talk" books.

Being an avid reader myself, I hope my children grow to feel the same way. The Read-Aloud Handbook opened my eyes to even more benefits of reading aloud than those I knew before.

Here are a few of my thoughts and observations:

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