Good Manners on Monday # 6 Table Manners

table manners rhyme sourced here

This week at Nurture the Little People headquarters we've been tackling the issue of table manners and dining etiquette. We are not overly strict in our house when it comes to dining. I don't mind if we eat lunch in the living area, but you have to be sitting down and using a plate. I do insist that we all sit at the table together for dinner and that the tv or radio is off.

As the children get older, I have found it more important to enforce dining etiquette like;

• setting the table with both a knife and fork, 
• waiting until everyone is sat before starting your meal, 
• taking your time to eat and chew, 
• not talking with your mouth full of food, 
• saying excuse me or pardon me where necessary 
• and the BIG one at the moment is staying at the table until everyone has finished, even if you are not going to eat your dinner. 

This has been particularly challenging of late with our nearly four year old. He is going through one of those phases where he is quick to decide that he doesn't like his dinner, pushing his plate away in disgust and promptly leaving the table. I know he will grow out of it, just as his older brother did, but gee it does urk me. 

Sometimes we insist he rejoins the table until we are all finished. And often he will dig in his heels and refuse. Other times we will just let it go and continue enjoying our meal together as a three, whilst the fourth member of the family plays at our feet, occasionally sneaking a carrot or pea off his plate.

So, what do you do? How do you enforce table manners and staying at the table in your family? 

Be Happy,
Nicola

Things I Know - Pregnancy and Birth

image courtesy of guerrillanerd.blogspot.com

Today Mini Hoges and I caught up with a dear friend who is 7 months pregnant. It is her first pregnancy, so naturally, she is excited and anxious all at the same time, depending on which directions her hormones are taking her. We talked about how she was feeling physically and emotionally and about the exciting stuff, like how much baby bonus you get these days, how many grow suits is too many and painting baby's room. 

Two comments that did get me thinking though was how this amazing woman said that she was going to feel quite anxious at the time of the birth, and that she doesn't like not being in control. Her mother is a midwife and supports her so well. Her husband is loving and wants the best for her and their baby. The second comment was that her doctor has told her to slow down on the eating because she is gaining a bit too much weight. This clearly is not true. My friend looks healthy, and is by no means one of those HUGE pregnant women that everyone gawks at and is worried that they are about to have the baby at their feet. No, she is healthy, with a moderate baby bump. It got me thinking. 

What could I say, as a friend and a fellow mother who has had two healthy and normal pregnancies and births? What positive encouragement could I offer?

Things I Know - Pregnancy and Birth

• Trust that your body can do this. Women have been birthing for centuries. It is only in the past 50 years that we have medicalised a natural process. (that is not to say that I think intervention is wrong...thank goodness for medicine, and choice)
• Having an emotional release each day is good for you (even if it is prompted by drama tv, like Grey's Anatomy). It allows you to let go and release unnecessary worries.
• Doctors should not tell pregnant women to slow down on their eating, unless there is a genuine concern about the health of the mother or baby. A woman who has gained 10kg during pregnancy is totally healthy and within the norm. I gained 26kg in my first pregnancy.
• First labour can be scarry, but it is also exciting, energising and empowering, provided you have the right positive support people with you.
• It is ok to change your mind about what you want during labour. Whilst it is nice for you to prepare a birth plan, chances are, you might leave it at home or abandon it altogether in the throes of labour.
• Life will never be the same after baby arrives

 What friendly and positive advice have you given to first time mothers to be? 

Don't forget to check in and see what everyone else knows this week at Yay for Homes' Things I know linky.

Be Happy, 
Nicola
 

It's Green, it's Pesto, it's Good!

Pesto is a staple in our family, along with vegimite, yoghurt and weetbix. It serves as an easy Sunday pasta dinner or a base for pizza's. Many friends and family have even received a jar of our Pesto for Christmas or a welcoming home baby gift. We love to make our own Pesto using ingredients fresh from the garden, where possible. And the rest sourced from local producers in the Margaret River Wine Region.

On a rainy Saturday just gone, when the heavens had opened up, the kids were climbing the walls. I'd had enough of football on the telly. I rounded up the boys for a good old fashioned Pesto making session. Junior went out to pick the remainder of the leaves and stems from the basil plants. And Mini Hoges enjoyed the task of picking the leaves off and putting them into the blender.

Add a good parmesan cheese, nuts, garlic and olive oil, and the pesto was processed to a chunky paste of green goodness.

      

Pesto

Large Bunch of basil leaves
1/2 cup of pinenuts, lightly toasted
2 large garlic cloves
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Olive Oil, anywhere between 3/4 cup to 1 cup, depending on your tastes.

Place basil, garlic and pinenuts into processor and blend. Add parmesan cheese and process. Add lemon zest. While machine is still going, pour in olive oil to combine it all together, achieving your desired taste and texture. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper.

Five Ways With Pesto

1. Pesto Pasta, serve it with spaghetti or penne. Sneak in some more veggies like grated zucchini and finely shredded spinach, add bacon or prosciuto, sun dried tomatoes....yum!

2. Green Eggs, and Ham. Add a good dollop of Pesto to your scrambled eggs the nest time your have eggs and bacon for breakfast...delicious!

3. Lamb lollipops with Pesto. French lamb cutlets, grilled and served with a spreading of Pesto on the outside, mash potato and green beans, cherry tomatoes....mmmmm!

4. Pesto tart. Puff pastry with a thick spread of Pesto on the base and topped with tomatoes, feta, roast pumpkin and spinach leaves, bake in the oven....lovely light lunch!

5. Savoury cheese and pesto muffins. Add a tablespoon or two of Pesto to your favourite cheese muffin recipe.

Have fun on your Pesto Adventures!

Be Happy, 
Nicola

Tantrums, tornedos and the first born child

perhaps we need one of these in our backyard to resolve squabbling?

I'd like to share something with you that I am sure (hope) many of you experience too, and can perhaps shed some light. Often in this parenting journey you can feel so alone. You wonder about your child/children and whether their behaviour is "normal". 

I try to think back to when I was a kid. My brother was five years older than me, and sure we fought a bit. But mostly we got along ok. Mum says we were always perfectly well behaved when we were out and squabbled occassionally. I have some vague memories of being sent to out respective bedrooms for some reason or the other, and me sneaking out and sending little notes under my big bro's door. Maybe we got on ok because we were a "pigeon" pair. I have two sons...and they fight. 

Sometimes I feel like there is a tornedo roaring through our house. 

It doesn't take much. The 8 year old is so quick to roar and tantrum at his brother. And there I was a few weeks back sharing my thoughts about magical ages. It seems that the bigger brother just wants to be in charge...always. Perhaps it's just the eldest child syndrome. But then the 4 year old has now learned how to wind his big brother up. He knows what buttons to push and will do so in order to get his brother to play with him. This inevitably results in squabbling, shouting and tears. And ultimately both boys ending up at opposite ends of the house on their thinking chairs.

Some days are better than others, and it's fair to say, that this morning, they were great. They cooperated with tidying each others bedrooms, but again, the 8 year old started to get bossy and it resulted in a near tantrum that I was able to squash before it raged out of control.

So, what do you do in your family? Do your children fight? Is your first born bossy, and how do you resolve it?

Be Happy, 
Nicola  

image source here

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley is the first picture book by author Aaron Blabey. Cleverly written and illustrated, the story tells the delightful tale of friendship between individuals with many differences. This book won the 2008 Children’s Book Council Awards — Book of the Year, for Early Childhood books and was shortlisted for the NSW Premier Literacy Awards and the Crighton Award for New Illustrators. Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley was also listed on the 2008 Smithsonian Institutes' Notable Book list. And you can clearly see why.

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley has fast become a favourite in our home. Not only do we love the names of the two characters, the book provokes lots of laughter and conversation from my children, and we like to talk about the differences between the two friends. Apart from the obvious gender difference, we learn that Pearl Barley is out going and adventurous. She is loud and flamboyant and full of energy. Where as Charlie Parsley is quieter. He is a bit shy and insular and likes quiet activities. However, despite their differences, Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are the best of friends.

What we love about this book is that the images are very engaging. You can really feel and see the differences between the two characters. I like the message of tolerance, courage, independence and friendship throughout the book. These virtues are easily understood by both of my children and they have been able to apply them in their own lives, demonstrating  acceptance of each others' differences as siblings and also the differences of their friends.

If you haven't seen Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley before, buy, borrow or beg your library to get it in and support a talented Australian author. It is great reading for children aged 4 - 8, and adults will enjoy the message too. 

Be Happy, 
Nicola 

image sourced, Penguin Books Australia 

Things I know - time flies and busy bees

busy bees. makes time fly

It's been one of those weeks where time has felt like it's escaped me. In fact, it's been a busy fortnight with visitors all weekend, and extra work and activity for the kids. So busy, that I haven't managed to log on and post for three days. And it's not for want of trying, I've had the ideas, just not the time to post. Although, I do know, that time is just an illusion, a perception, but this week, it seems to have disappeared.


This week I know:


1. As lovely as it is having visitors, it can be disruptive to the family routine, especially for the children who get over excited and show-offy

2. Being out (mostly for work) every night this week has been tiring and made me less tolerant of the boys (especially in the morning)

3. The reality of being a busy parent, life and time can sometimes be overwhelming in a not so positive way.

4, Eight year old boys still have melt downs (even though 8 is a magic number) and tantrums, mostly over their younger siblings.

5. As much as I like spontaneity there is definitely something useful and positive about planning. So I will use this post as a SPARK to kick off my weekend of no working, and dedicate some time to thinking and planning out the month of September.

6. The bees are getting really busy!

What do you know about this week? Join Shae over at YAY for Home for the Things I Know linky. 

Be Happy

Anthony Browne - 5 a Day Books

This week we are having a treasured author week at home. We love Anthony Browne books. From his illustrations to his tales, he is one talented children's author. Our favourite books are those that have the chimpanzee and gorilla's in them. Like the Willy stories. Willy is a Gorilla, but not your usual kind. He is a bit different. He is not great at sports and he is not Big like other Gorilla's. But he has a big heart and always tries his best. Sometimes he gets picked on by the bigger Gorilla's.

All of Anthony Brownes' stories have messages and meaning for children. Books like Silly Billy, help children to find ways of coping and combat fear. Billy is a worrier. He often worries at night when he tries to go sleep. One day he discovers Worry Dolls.  

And Through the Magic Mirror shows children how to use their imagination. Toby was bored at home. His parents were being boring, he was fed up with all of his toys. Then he looked into the hallway mirror and saw some things that changed his view.

What I love about Anthony Browne is that many of his stories are based on his own childhood experiences and imaginations. He is also the creator of the My Mum/Dad/Brother book series. We gave Junior the My Brother book when Mini Hoges was born. It helped him to gain a positive perspective on having a brother and being a big brother.

Do you have a favourite Anthony Browne book? 

Nurture the Little People is joining up with The Imagination Tree's 5 a Day Books Linky. Check it out to see what other books people are reading to their children.

Be Happy, 

 

Images sourced from Walker Books and Macmillan