Our Homeschool and Other Such Happenings - My non-resolution and a review of Supermom's Simple Guide to Healthier Eating

Jan. 5, 2008

My non-resolution and a review of Supermom's Simple Guide to Healthier Eating

After many previous half-hearted (and failed) New Year's resolutions, I have finally learned my lesson-- don't make resolutions!

Why is it that we decide in November or December certain things we need to fix, change or improve... but instead of doing it right away we wait until January 1st? If it's not important enough for you to do it rightthissecond, then it's probably not something that you will truly be resolved about.

One of the things that I've been meaning to do is allow Dash to be responsible for a meal every now and then. After all, he is a whopping 8 years old and he loves to eat. The other day it dawned on me that he is always the first one up in the morning. Enter my bright idea. Let him be the one to make breakfast-- and a hot breakfast at that! I know, I know... it's bordering on *genius*.

Yesterday morning he tiptoed to my bed and whispered Mommy? Mommy! Can I make breakfast? In the OVEN?! In my half conscious stupor I said Okay. You remember how to use the oven and turn it off, right? He said he did and then I went back to sleep.

I woke up an hour later and as my brain became more coherent, I remembered our conversation from earlier. Man, did I ever hustle it to the kitchen!

Whew! It was still there. And not on fire. And the kids were all up and in a non-charcoaled state. Then I glanced over and saw these super-crispy looking rocks on a cookie sheet.

Me: Uhhh... Dash? How long did you put these in the oven?

Dash: For ten plus thirteen.

Me: Huh?

Dash: For ten plus thirteen!

Then it hit me.

Me: Hey, sweetie... when the directions say 10 dash 13, it means 10 minutes OR 11 minutes OR 12 minutes OR 13 minutes. NOT 10 plus 13 equals 23 minutes!

He got this look of Oooohhhh... Now I get it. Poor kid. But at least he tried and the kids didn't starve. They all had their fill of toaster waffles, cereal and a few tops off of the baked hockey pucks. :-)

*****

This now brings me in a very round-about kind of way to my review of Supermom's Simple Guide to Healthier Eating for Beginners and Beyond by Erica Johns.

The nitty gritty: I liked this book.

Her writing style is very easy to read and she tells you in simple terms what you can do (right now!) to improve your family's health. This is not a diet book, but a book that will help you focus on small changes to your eating habits that can reap tremendous benefits.

If you are looking for a book that is chock full of persuasive scientific essays, then this book is most definitely not for you! But if you're like me and already knew many things that are good/bad for you (and then promptly forgot the information overload) then Erica's book might just be the kick in the rear (read: strong encouragement) that you need to make the necessary changes to healthier eating.

But fear not, you are talking to the latte queen who lets her 8yo make canned biscuits for breakfast! Even if you don't make all the changes that are suggested in this book, I know y'all could do many of the suggestions Erica talks about! This is not a quitter's book. There's not a big giant plan that is setting you up for failure before you even start.

This is a simple guide that shows you some simple things that you really can do for your family and their health.

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Jan. 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by wardssward

Our boys are getting more active in the kitchen, too. They both love to cook! It's the cleaning-up that needs working on, though. :-) Our 8-year-old has mostly stuck with things in a can/box, too, but lately has been venturing on to tuna patties, cookies from scratch, and today made a chocolate cake (with me helping slightly). The way it's going, I think I might just lose one of my jobs someday soon. :-)
~Connie