Awesome Parents Blogs

Taking advantage of a child’s sponge like mind when they are young will only help them to evolve, and a child learning how to navigate around the kitchen is certainly no different.  Not only do they have an opportunity to hang out with you, but they are learning a valuable skill that will always be needed.

Common sense must be used in this endeavor due to safety aspects that exist in the kitchen.  Obviously knives, hot appliances, and hot food are all things that need to be under a close eye when teaching children at any age, but more so with smaller children.  However, there are other helpful things a smaller child can do such as stirring and prepping ingredients, counting eggs, measuring ingredients, etc.

You must keep in mind that, in the end, there will be a mess.  More than likely the process will take longer to prepare, the measurements will probably be off the mark, and they might not look like store bought cookies. But it doesn’t matter.  The cookies might not even turn out the greatest, but above all else…it’s fun!  Most importantly, assure the kids they did a good job and present zero negativity in the process.

The older they become the more sophisticated and creative you can get with your children.  Design or find a specific recipe that you can hand down and have your child cook it.  Allow them to make modifications or additions, in the process fueling their creativity.  Aside from that, we all know eating at home is a much healthier alternative.  You know exactly what was put in the food and how it got there.

The skill of cooking is something that will be with your children forever.  We all need to eat no matter who we are.  Teaching children at a young age will open their eyes to where food comes from, how it’s made, and what can be used together to make unique recipes.  A bonus to this whole process is that your child will begin to appreciate the time you spend in the kitchen preparing food.

When a child learns to cook, they will also acquire the ability to try something new.  They will also learn about vitamins, minerals, calories, trans fats, and other elements of food that too many people are unaware of.  Not relying on someone to put food in front of you can save you frustration, money, and overall health.  Who knows?  Maybe in the end of the learning process your child will take direction from cooking and be the next Rachel Ray or Emeril.

Since the advent of the internet and the increased popularity of its usage in everyday life, many have discovered its potential harm to children. If you want to protect your children from the negative aspects of the internet, you should set rules and guidelines. It is unreasonable to ban them from the use of the internet seeing that it is a useful tool to have, so limiting their access and teaching them what you think is appropriate is the right approach.

Though the internet is great for keeping in contact with people around the world as well as providing information useful for school and other purposes, it can present negative situations for their users. Not only does it expose children to offensive language and behaviors, but it may detract from a child’s development in terms of school, physical activity and social activities. As a result, you should ensure that time limits for internet usage are set in place and adhered to.

Limiting their access is achievable by setting parental controls. Parental controls allow you to block certain websites and email addresses, set time limits for use and prohibit the search of specified words. Parental controls should be discussed with your child before you implement them. This will aid their understanding of the potential dangers. It will also make them aware of websites you believe are inappropriate. Setting realistic limits is achievable by getting on the internet and seeing for yourself how it is used.

When setting guidelines, an important thing to consider is the location of the computer. If you want to keep a watchful eye on what your kids are doing online, it’s not a good idea to put the computer in their bedroom or any other location where a parent won’t be a constant parental presence. A recommended location is in the family room with the screen facing outward so you can easily monitor what is going on.

You should make it clear to your children that people on the internet aren’t always who they portray themselves to be and may pose a danger to them. They should also be taught that issuing personal information such as their name, home address, telephone number banking information, and passwords can lead to financial scams or bullying or worse! They should never try to keep secrets about anything that they deem as threatening or worrying away from you. For instance, cyber bullying must be reported to you as you can filter the addresses with the parental control list.

As a parent, you have full rights to check the history folder on the browser to check on what websites they have been visiting. You can also share your child’s email account and password if necessary. You can use online parental tools to route your child’s email first to your account so you can do your own filtering.

Following the tips mentioned above should be a sufficient means of keeping your children safe online. But in the event that their safety has been compromised, you can contact your internet service provider. They can be helpful if your child stumbles upon unsuitable content or has been exposed to inappropriate online contact. You should also update filtering software that protects against unsuitable internet access on a regular basis.

Parents, listen up: a good breakfast is a prerequisite to learning. Nutritious meals in the morning are essential for children to perform well in school and have active social lives as they grow up. Breakfast provides at least a quarter of a child’s energy for the day. Thus, if breakfast were missed, the child will be less alert and his learning potential substantially diminished.

When an inadequately nourished kid goes to school, he is likely to be more irritable and anxious, less inquisitive, tires quicker, less physically active, and not very sociable. Children who have empty, rumbling stomachs certainly will find it difficult to concentrate on their lessons.

On top of ensuring a full stomach, it is important to give children the right kind of foods at breakfast, since not all foods are created equal.

A healthy meal for children at the start of the day will positively impact learning. Studies have shown that students who have a nutritious breakfast have higher test scores and have generally better  performance than their counterparts who didn’t eat breakfast.

A healthy breakfast contains complex carbohydrates in the form of grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, cereals, proteins from meats, beans and nuts; fiber and vitamins from fruits and vegetables; and calcium and other minerals from milk, cheese and yogurt.

Fiber from complex carbohydrates creates the feeling of fullness, thereby ensuring mental alertness, while the glucose that you get from this food group is used by the brain as fuel during mental activity.

Researchers on a study of oatmeal, which is a prime example of food with  high complex carbohydrates, compared the effects of eating oatmeal or cereal at breakfast or having no breakfast at all, on the cognitive performance of 30 middle-income students. Over a three-week time frame, the students were asked to take tests minutes after eating their assigned breakfast. Those who didn’t have breakfast were also asked to take the mental examination.

The first study found out that among children ages six to eight, spatial memory skills (which are essential for subjects like math and geography) increased by almost 50% after eating oatmeal for breakfast as compared to having no breakfast at all. Forty-six percent of the children also improved their skills after eating oatmeal compared to when they ate cereals.

The second study found out that among children ages nine to 11 years old, 68 percent performed better when they ate oatmeal compared to those who didn’t have any breakfast.

The study cited the whole grain, high fiber, and high protein content of oatmeal as significantly affecting spatial memory performance. The study revealed that oatmeal, which is slow and continued release of glucose into the bloodstream and enhances cognitive performance.

Other emerging research confirms that oatmeal, or complex carbohydrates -in general, are best for the brain because they contain fiber that resists digestion, slowing its breakdown and the subsequent release of sugars into the bloodstream. This slow and even absorption of sugar is highly beneficial to the brain, as it performs better on a minimal yet constant supply of sugar.

So if you’re a parent planning a healthy breakfast menu for your children, don’t fail to include oatmeal into the diet. Oats, in almost all forms—rolled, old-fashioned, quick cooking, and even instant, is readily available for that hearty bowl of oatmeal or as ingredient to great-tasting and nutrition-packed recipes.