Teaching children to cook, healthy.

If you think about it, children are natural cooks. They're always mixing and experimenting. We often see this as a disgusting habit but we can train them to use their curiosity in a good way.

I'm going to share with you five [5] easy tips that you can use right away. And I'm sure one of these will work for you. 

So what makes me an authority on this subject? Well I'm a foodie that became a registered nutritional consultant practitioner, blah blah blah... Okay, I have seven [7] children who like to eat. That's a lot of Na Keiki [children] to cook for, which is why I needed to teach them.

“If you give a child a meal, you feed her for a day.
If you show a child how to cook, you feed her for awhile.
If you teach a child to plant & harvest, you feed her community.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Above is a snapshot of me and my seven babies on Mother's Day. The meal you'll see below was prepared by my oldest, Wharehuia. [Maori for house of the song bird.] I have two daughter's and five sons. Life is full. I actually published Walk In Beauty because of my children.

5 Easy Tips

Step away from fast-food.

Connection happens in the kitchen and fast-food robs you of that time. You don't have to do it often but you'll want to do it regularly. Start with one day, like Friday night. Make it together and have fun.

Magic happens in the kitchen, allow your children to take part in cooking. Especially when it's their favorite dish and they get to taste the food as it's being prepared.

Make a playlist or subscribe.

I made a YouTube playlist of some fun recipes and purchased Jamie Oliver's travel & food series. I also asked them about their favorite foods and we explored a bunch of YouTubers who are also food bloggers.

The number one boost is the Master Chef Jr. competition on tv. We all enjoy that series and learn as we watch. Those children are amazing and inspire us all.

It started with Usborne.

My friend was an Usborne book consultant and I enjoyed hosting book parties. This particular brand has a wonderful kid's cookbook selection. Their books have brilliant step by step pictures that's perfect for all learning levels.

Eventually I started adding to our cookbook collection. Let's just say that it's an investment that's paying off. Purchase books that have wonderful pictures & examples.

Make the connection

The saddest thing I see is a disconnection from the growers, their food and our mouths. This all boils down to r-e-s-p-e-c-t, or should I say lack of respect. If you ask a child where their food comes from they'll usually answer, "the store, duh!" [eyes rolling]

Taking them to farmers market opens their minds and heart. You're exposing them to the value of seed-time-&-harvest. This will help them connect the money you earn & the food the farmer raised. Now that's RESPECT.

Self Empowerment to the 3rd.

Mind, body & soul... growing something that they will enjoy embodies all of these wonderful elements. It's both holistic & fulfilling to harvest then eat.

Start simple. My Na Keiki grow green onions for their noodle bowls. It's so easy to start and requires little care. Save the green onion bulbs & let it rest in some water. Roots will sprout, plant then enjoy. 

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Fit Foodie

2 Pot Recipe

1. Soak the chickpeas the night before.
2. Boil the chickpeas, allowing a little of the soup base to remain.
3. Chop sweet potatoes, celery & cilantro. [onions optional]
4. [Separately] Stir fry the protein.
5.  Add the chopped ingredients to the stir fry.
6. Once cooked combine the stir fry to the chickpeas.
7. Mix and season to taste. [she added a curry paste to her dish]

If you're not a part of my inner circle I hope you will join me today. Click on the link below to see what it's all about. I look forward to swimming with you in the Mermaid lagoon soon.

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BEAUTY

In 2017 I fulfilled a promise to a mentor, who passed away suddenly in freakish plane crash, and a friend, who died after overcoming a disease to only contract something else. Yet all the while I thought about my children and the next generation. What do I want them to know about BEAUTY? How can I teach them to Walk In Beauty.

My mentor charged me with a simple goal back in 1999, "Write a book." Then my friend inspired me by asking, "How do I know if HE's the right one?" [She was dating at the time.] I created the outline back in 2001 but my heart couldn't see it through. Until now.

I'm finally content with this creation, as I was able to combine a mini E-Class with the E-Book. It's part observation and memoir. To learn more click on the images below and see what I created for you.

5 Steps to help children deal with loss.

Seasons

Embracing the passing of a loved one is an uncomfortable position. In one moment you're running errands then you get a text and your mind goes blank. The next breath hurts and this news changes everything. 

More importantly, what do you tell the rest of your family?

The biggest mistake most grownups make is that they assume that the children will get over it. Or that they're too young to understand. And like I said earlier, that's a mistake.

I'm not a psychologist or counselor so everything in this blog is based off of my experience and for educational purposes. After all, I am a mother. 

Children are naturally intuitive.

Unlike adults, children don’t have as many walls or barriers and they’re still forming their ideas. Much of the world is in front of them and they watch in observation of everything.

“The joy you create in this life, will honor them in the after-life.”

— Ho'omālamalama

These "5 Steps" are from my experience and I wanted to share it with you. And hopefully you will make it your own and translate this example into your holistic lifestyle. Keep in mind that these are only suggestions and ideas. The goal is to approach the next few steps with an opened mind.

FEEL it together.

The old saying, "You can't change what you won't acknowledge. Accepting the loss is helpful because you will have to translate the process through your body language. Why? Because every single child is good at reading body language. They're like mini mirrors, reflecting what influences them.

Your ability to feel the circumstances WITH THEM will help them flow through it.

Children learn from what you do and rarely from what what you say. Model the process and be the example.

Side Note: If you’re still dealing with childhood trauma, seek professional help.

ASK them, “How do you feel” then share memories.

What is it about this person that I want them to remember?

How do I want them to remember this person?

Communication is the key when dealing with grief, don’t let silence become a prison. Silence has a way of placing our emotions in solitary confinement.

Ask, share, remember… communicate. Let your child know that you're always available then listen when they speak.

Trust is built as they learn to rely on you. This will help eliminate the feeling of abandonment. Which many of us, adults, have felt before. Don’t let it happen to your child.

SHARE a meal together.

Good food can do wonders for the body while sustaining the mind. It hugs our senses with warmth and allows us to find peace.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be emotionally draining, and we might not want to eat. However, breaking bread gives us a chance to share in the grief and healing. Sitting face to face allows us to connect.

Within the confusion of hurt, sorrow and grief the last thing you’ll want to do is eat. But in my humble opinion that’s the first thing you’ll want to consider.

Through the grieving process; sharing a meal with your child teaches them to nourish through the pain. This is very holistic.

COMMUNICATE often through words and with gestures of love.

Once you’ve gone through the process together begin to open up the conversation.

Having a delicious meal opens the door for you to chat between servings. Maybe share a funny memory or the things you loved about that person.

Allow your child to feel comfortable with talking to you. Learn to LISTEN. You don’t have to solve everything but you do need to listen. Listening validates their feelings and shows how much you care.

A hug can do wonders!

REPEAT steps 1-4 as often as needed.

This is a process and it will take time.

Make sure that ALOHA or love is the foundation and be patient with your child. Burst of anger and fits of rage are part of the process. They’re still learning how to communicate their BIG feelings.

For my ‘Ohana, after all the tissues and tears we managed to make our plates. Fumbling over the meal and somehow found laughter in the midst of it all.

I know it's not over but this starts the process. The pain of loosing a loved one will never go away but new memories will fill our hearts. The goal is to create a ton of happy ones while honoring their light. And this is the circle of a holistic life.

Additional resources.

If I could offer you inspiration, motivation and hope that would be through my Instagram page. Connect with me on a weekly basis as I share prompts, quotes and mini-vlogs to help you live holistic. And even better, tag your friends and family because there's nothing like a good share.

peace be the journey, Ho'omālamalama