You might have always had a picky eater on your hands, or maybe its a new thing for your normally eat-everything toddler. Either way it can be frustrating to ask what your little one what she wants to eat and the response is same thing they had for breakfast and lunch or turn their nose at everything you suggest or worse- you make. A few months ago we started to see this, my daughter had been a very diverse eater- from a great array of veggies and fruits right down to a big variety of ethnic foods. But we are witnessing a pull back- an apprehension to try new foods as well as a rejection of some old favorites. So we’ve been employing some new tricks and recipes, mostly good old fashion smoke and mirrors, to hopefully keep variety in her diet. I think back to the kids I baby-sat for in high school that ate hot dogs every night and am going to fight that kind of scenario all the way.
One good book I found a help is The Toddler Café by Jennifer Carden. Her approach, “fast, healthy and fun…” and the book is full of recipes that reflect that mantra. It is not so much like The Sneaky Chef
, (another good one) which adds more nutritious ingredients to recipes, but more so a think out side of the box look at feeding a picky toddler. The recipes are simple, but apply fun and involvement as part of the toddler eating experience. There are recipe notes about where to get something or how to store or freeze, recipe variations (incase your kido is really against some implemented ingredient!) and tips on how to get them involved or to eat it. Ever thought about a grilled cheese made in a waffle iron? That is likely to impress a tough customer toddler. Sticky rice balls with carrots and beets mixed in- they will at least be curious (hopefully enough to sample). There are many more like this.
Prior to finding this book we were using some of these fun-type approaches that worked great. Cutting sandwiches in triangles or with cookie cutters, presenting a smorgasbord of dipping foods with hummus (toddlers love to dip), fruit dipped in yogurt, arranging food in different and unexpected ways. Think basic but fun. But if you’re stumped like many others, you and your toddler might find Jennifer Carden’s creative ideas inspiring enough to eat!
See a sample of what’s inside the book!
After being in school for so long, it’s hard to shake the feeling I get at the end of every summer. School’s impending start: the cooler nights, back to school adverts, back to school deals and sales. I remember the dread of summer’s end, excitement for a new year, seeing my friends everyday, what to wear? what will my teachers be like? But I have a 2 1/2 year old, and although we looked into and applied to the few 2 yr old programs in our area, she isn’t going to school this year. Between the lottery system for placement slots and the other expensive options, she’s home with me. In lieu of attending school this fall, I am going to do some quasi-home schooling. My loose plan is to spend two days a week focusing on something, like nature, math, reading etc. and build it into our day through constructive play.
Nonetheless, school is on her radar and she’s interested. She sees school buses, and loves them (what’s not to love about a huge yellow vehicle filled with kids). She knows the neighborhood kids go to school and misses them while they are there. We live near a high school and she sees kids with backpacks, so she had to have one. And our wonderful mother’s helper, Zoe, even bought her back to school supplies for her backpack and they pretend to play school together and line up the dining room chairs like rows of seats on a bus. I have to say, as excited as I am for her eventually to go off to school, I also fret the day as I squeeze her extra hard when she role plays with me and bids me goodbye as she boards her pretend bus.
I know many kids are about to have that first day of school. So I’ve been hitting some of my favorite blogs to see what they are saying. I am picking my top 10 best Back to School articles with healthy, green ideas for your preparations and reading pleasure. Good luck on the first day of school!
1. Healthy Breakfast Ideas from Green and Clean Mom with great ideas to give your kids a good start to their school day
2. 12 Fabulously informative articles on Back to School in Great Green Style from The Daily Green
3. Back to school: Are we ready? Are we non-toxic? from The Environmental Working Group
4. Eco and Budget Friendly Back to School from Healthy Child, Healthy World
5. Safer Lunchbox picks and reviews from Safe Mama
6. Information and idea packed Eco-Friendly School Days from Nature Moms
7. Back to School Eco Style from EcoFabulous
8. Fabkins cute re-useable napkins giveaway for your kido’s lunchbox at Green Mom Finds
9. The Green Office’s school kits for eco kids of every age
10. Back to School 2008 shopping guide from the always fun and trendy Cool Mom Picks
With summer coming and days at the beach and lounging around, abound, trips to the library are a must for the 4+ crowd. While the ones under 4 are probably still a little too rough on books and using the library mostly for storytime, the older ones are starting to enjoy the wide variety of children’s books a library has to offer. Reading can be a source of lifelong enjoyment and bringing your children to the library helps to foster their enthusiasm and interest in reading.
While babies and toddlers enjoy repetitious reading, the 4 and 5 year olds start to appreciate new and different stories read to them as well as some that are beginning to read. Going to the library to pick out new books to read not only saves money, keeps boredom at bay, fuels the imagination, but gives your child a better understanding what borrowing is. Borrowing books from the library teaches simple responsibility, they need to make sure it stays in good condition and doesn’t get lost. They not only learn new things and enjoy the books but the actual process has small lessons to be learned. Most libraries let children of any age sign up with a parent or guardian to co-sign the membership. Now many states are linking all their libraries through the internet, and allow check out at any in the consortium as well as copies to be exchanged throughout the system and some even do books by mail. Make sure your little one goes with a backpack or tote to lug home their new selection of books (lest your into carrying the pile for them!)
Need to get started?
Library Finder
Some book suggestions from the Boston Public Library (by subject)
Best Stories list from Chicago Public Library
Check out these sweet library totes for kids and adults at Abba Dabba Bags
Hitting the road? Download some FREE podcasts at Storynory’s children’s books audio library
