1. Use 1/2 of the amount of sugar your baking recipe calls for. It will still be plenty sweet, have fewer calories, and make the kids less hyper. You will thank me for this tip later when the kids aren’t bouncing off the walls and your scale isn’t scaring you! A few days ago, we had a birthday celebration generously hosted by our son and daughter-in-law. I knew that with 20 guests, many of whom were young, sugar highs wouldn’t be a good thing. So I used only 1/4 of the sugar in my recipe for chocolate cupcakes and icing. Guess what? They tasted good and no one got hyper.
2. Make a double batch of whatever you’re baking or cooking. Make the mess once, eat twice. Clean-up is time-consuming, so make enough at one go to eat several times. Most baked goods freeze well and it’s so convenient to have goodies on hand when company comes.
Our household runs on leftovers. It easier to eat healthy if you can just grab a nutritious meal that’s waiting in the fridge without having to do prep and cooking. Oftentimes I cook more meat than we can eat at once and then I just add the cooked meat to a hearty salad for the next day’s meal. BTW, beef pairs well with savory salad components such as arugula, chard, kale, spinach, tomatoes, olives, capers, radishes, walnuts, cabbage, onions, cheddar cheese, and flavorful dressings such as mustard, or garlic. Chicken and pork pair well with mild, sweet flavors: spinach, romaine, fruit – such as apples and pears, blueberries, almonds, walnuts, celery, mild cheeses such as Jarlsberg or Helvetia
3. Help the children in your life feel more involved, needed, and capable by not helping them. Ha! What I mean is, allow kids to contribute to holiday meals by expecting them to do as much as they are able. Let them feel invested by giving them jobs to do. And then don’t hover! No, they won’t do the jobs as well as you could or the same way you would. But watch their attitudes improve as they accomplish things that benefit everyone! P.S. This applies to your adult guests, too. If they offer to help, don’t refuse. They will feel needed and included. Perfection isn’t the goal. The higher good is teamwork, unity, and contribution. If you’re OCD, pocket it, and fix things after everyone leaves. Just soak in the joy of welcoming others into the heart of your home, the kitchen. PS I invite our teenage granddaughter to come over the day before a family gathering to bake and cook in peace. She has become an excellent baker, so all I have to do is make sure she has the ingredients she needs and clean up afterwards. What precious time together!
4. Choose gifts based on the recipient’s strengths and interests. What will encourage the receiver to use their special gifts?
For the art lover- Art/craft supplies whatever medium is appropriate for them. Extra tip: artfulparent.com blog is a great way to get fresh ideas for art projects for kids. Love this blog!
For the grower- Gardening supplies, catalogs, magazines for the one who loves making things grow outdoors. Houseplants, fertilizer, online sites for the indoor gardener.
For the birdwatchers of any age- birdfeeders, birdhouses, bird I.D. apps or books, books or websites that show how to landscape for birdwatching. An inexpensive bird feeder that works well here: simple birdfeeder Our son and granddaughter got a lot of enjoyment watching the birds eat from this simple feeder.
For the active child- membership at a kid’s gym, or passes to a play facility. Search and print out good resources for finding hiking trails, outdoor activities in their local area, or ideas for day trips. Purchase tickets or passes if necessary to go with the print-out.
For the musically inclined- young musicians will get hours of enjoyment from quality small scale instruments like a ukelele, xylophone, recorder, guitar or violin. Pay for music lessons, offer to provide transportation to music lessons, or take them to concerts to spark their interest.
For older women who get creases from their pillows- silk pillowcases are the best! No face creases and curly hair doesn’t get as tangled. silk pillowcase
Don’t underestimate gifts of instruction because learning and growing fill a deep need in us! a hands-on workshop, an online class, a magazine geared to what the receiver is interested in, a helpful website all enlarge the receiver’s world. Children love to get mail, so subscribing to an appropriate magazine gives the child a gift each month.
Extra Tip: Parents need all of the back-up they can get, so why not send them helpful links that they can use when they feel the need? Here is one such link: www.parent.com
5. Provide activities for children to do at family gatherings while adults are busy with meal preparation or conversation. Children can do many things to help such as setting the table, older ones can wash or peel veggies, rinse dishes and load the dishwasher, etc. But they also need fun activities in their area of interest. I keep a drawer of art supplies that is at kid level so any visiting child can help themselves to whatever strikes their fancy. By far, the most popular has been an invitingly large set of watercolors. watercolor set To keep the mess contained, I put down a catalog or scrap paper underneath the painting paper if they are using the dining table. I also use a heavy, small, low container like a ramekin to hold the water. Its squatty shape prevents tipping and spilling. Some children appreciate a quiet place to make their masterpieces, while others love to create in the thick of activity. One granddaughter loves to paint at the kitchen counter. And fresh water is handy! Try to accommodate their preference. Taking a phone photo of their finished art affirms them and is a great way to keep their art.
If weather permits, plan an outdoor activity. Exercising in the fresh air does wonders for attitudes. It can be as simple as a walk. Last week we had the privilege of having one of our daughter’s family here from out-of-state. Husband and Son-in-law took the children for a short hike on our neighbor’s wooded acreage and they all came back with rosy cheeks, big smiles, and the happy news that they hadn’t been attacked by a bear. Some families set up toss games. There are lots of options if you have snow. Outdoor fun will be some of your guests’ best memories.
I also have an accessible closet with toys and dress-up things. I notice that when dressing up, children role play, make up storylines, take on a character, and are freed up to act out their imaginations. A good thing. Older kids who are too inhibited to dress up can join in by helping younger ones dress up.
The smartest thing I ever did in regards to toys was to give my four-year-old granddaughter $20. and let her choose a toy to keep at Grandma’s. I would never have picked it, but it continues to be a hit with every age. I was amazed to find our eleven-year-old grandson engaged in ‘adaptive play’ with our eight-year-old grandson and their ten-year-old friend. They had taken components of the toy and were hiding them in their pockets and then wrestling each other for them. In case I got your curiosity up, the toy is an ice cream cart with cones, scoop, different colored ice cream, a bottle of sprinkles (unopenable) that make a delightful sound for babies, a sign, etc. Warning, the cart tips over easily causing everything to fall to pieces. This would send me into fits, but kids seem to take it in stride. The little horn mysteriously disappeared and was later found high on top of the refrigerator out of reach. Ahem. Tinkers Gourmet Ice Cream by PlayGo. Can’t find it in stock online except from Australia. Amazon used to sell it here: https://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Cream-Cart-Food-Truck/dp/B06WWNK77P We bought it at BiMart in Oregon.
Similar: https://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/14-Piece-Ice-Cream-Cart-Playset/18830852/product.html
More expensive, better quality wooden from Melissa and Doug https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Wooden-Scoop-Counter/dp/B01B1V10KA/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_21_bs_tr_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QA395JY2M8Q7387YEAVY