“SECRETS TO GETTING KIDS TO EAT AND BEHAVE” EASY TIPS AND RECIPES TO HELP YOU by MONICA VAN EMMENIS “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is older he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
“SECRETS TO GETTING KIDS TO EAT AND BEHAVE” EASY TIPS AND RECEIPES TO HELP YOU by MONICA VAN EMMENIS Copyright © 2020 Edited by Bernita Blease Typesetting by Colin Newman
“SECRETS TO GETTING KIDS TO EAT AND BEHAVE” EASY TIPS AND RECEIPES TO HELP YOU by MONICA VAN EMMENIS Contents Page 1 Tips from a Primary School Teacher 4 A Healthy Lunchbox 6 Many Wise Saying from Proverbs 10 More Wise Sayings Recipes 13 Basic Oat Mix 15 Fruit Faces 16 Cheesy Potato Boats 17 Funny Face Pizzas 18 Stripy Cheese on Toast 19 Apple and Cheese Toasties 20 Caterpillar Sandwich 21 Treasure Island 22 Twist and Roll 24 Crispy Rice Choc Cups 25 Cake in a Cup 26 Strawberry and Banana Smoothie 27 Pineapple Yoghurt Shake 31 Party Cakes: Butterfly Cake 33 Ladybird Cake 35 Brain Foods for Kids 38 Free Snacks 39 Wisdom for Parents 51 Last Piece of Advise
No one ever writes a book “all by oneself”. And in my case this is particularly true. “Secrets to getting kids to eat and behave” has come to be, not through my ideas alone but because of many other people who gave of their time, talent and ideas. No one can calculate the gratitude family members deserve when an author is writing. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to my husband Walter and my children Tatum, Dino, Raven and Cherisse and my grandchildren Hunter, Ava and Enzo; to GOD be the glory! “We can’t always build the future for our children, but we can build our children for the future”
1 ~Tips from a primary school teacher…~ @ School • Support the School’s code of conduct (discipline system) – don’t undermine the teacher. If you disagree that strongly with the School, maybe you should find another school! • Label everything your child owns. It is a great source of frustration to the teacher as well as yourself when unmarked items go missing. • Support the teacher! When your child comes home with a story just remember that it’s his or her version. The teacher’s version is often very different – so politely enquire before you lose your cool. You and the teacher must partner to support one another. • Let the school know if your child is unwell. Also remember that once your child gets to Grade 5, catching up on missed work becomes more of the child’s responsibility and less the teacher’s! • Build a relationship of respect with the teacher and the teacher will do the same. Make an appointment to see the teacher if you wish to receive the very best answer to your question. • Equip your child with the necessary stationary! It is difficult to complete tasks without pencils, glue etc If, by Grade 5 or 6, they lose their stationary, they must replace those items at their own expense. Being made to replace the items teaches them to exercise responsibility for their belongings. • Packing a healthy, nutritious lunch is vital, learning becomes increasingly difficult once the blood sugar levels begin to drop.
2 • Once your child reaches Grade 6 make sure that you are insisting on your child taking more responsibility, as tempting as it is – do not bail your child out of trouble. This is unrealistic. The sooner your child realises that every action and spoken word has a good or bad consequence the sooner they will learn to exercise self-control! Tough love is what is needed! • If time permits – become involved at your child’s school. If you are involved it helps your child realise the importance of school! • Don’t allow your child to over commit to sport. It’s about balance, they need time for ‘nothing in particular’. • If your child commits to a sport for a season, ensure that you make them see out their commitment to the end of the season, even if they want out. This is an important lesson in commitment! @ Home • Encourage your child to manage and pack their own School bags by the time they are in Grade 5. • Develop an afternoon routine for your child as this will result in time spent being more productive. Homework should be done in the same place, preferably at the same time each day! • Homework should be done every day, even if nothing has been written down in their homework diary – they need to revise work daily. It’s a great habit to develop! • Avoid “Twenty questions” on the way home from school or when they arrive home; such questions will
3 most likely just be answered with ‘fine’. A little chat face to face later in the evening is likely to result in a far more productive discussion. • Allow for some play time in the afternoon; all work and no play make him or her a dull boy or girl! • Check the homework diary – it is the teacher’s key means of communication with the you. • BE CONSISTENT with your boundaries – “No” must mean “No”. The decision regarding what they need and what they want is yours to make. Children are not mature enough to make those decisions, even though they will tell you they are! • Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night, A bed time routine must be established and followed for each child. • Develop the idea that pride in the School uniform is important. Do not condone wearing the School uniform in a sloppy manner after school hours! • Drill multiplication tables! They are never too old to practise them! by Steve Walker (FDE) Senior Primary Grade 6 Kestrels Elkanah House Cape Town
4 ~ A Healthy Lunchbox ~ As a Foundation Phase Teacher, I have had the privilege of observing children before, during and after their tea and lunch breaks. One of the most profound observations I have encountered is that a healthy lunchbox equals a healthy mind and child. It is grossly evident that a child, who is undernourished, cannot learn. We live in a society where every second child is being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Even if a child is a patient under the care of a Paediatrician, that medical practitioner would also advise that a healthy diet be followed. Although following a healthier lifestyle will not cure ADD or ADHD, it will in fact lessen the triggers and not aggravate the situation any further. Children who have a sustainable breakfast and healthy snack do better than those children who have fatty foods, high carbohydrates, unsaturated fats and sugars in their lunchboxes. Food colourants and additives also have a negative impact on concentration. Children who are hungry cannot concentrate. Children who are “pumped up” with sugars cannot concentrate. Have you heard the quote, “bouncing off the walls”? Well, it is true. Children who snack on the wrong foods tend to be more hyperactive than children who eat well balanced snacks and meals. Do not turn your child into a bouncing ball; keep them healthy, sustained and nourished by packing healthy and fun snacks in their snack boxes for them to enjoy. Snack boxes do not have to be boring or take too much time to prepare as long as all the food groups are included. Bernita Blease Foundation Phase Teacher B.Ed (2003) B. Ed Hons (2008) M.Ed (currently)
5 All parents sometimes have trouble enticing their kids to eat. The following recipes and tips are designed especially to be visually appealing and tasty to kids. I grew up being forced to eat a cooked porridge which resulted in a dislike for breakfast. I made a promise that I would make food fun and enjoyable so that my kids would think they were eating brightly coloured treats that tasted like pudding instead of food. Porridge makes a terrific start to the day and lends itself to interesting toppings such as sultanas, dices raw apple, cinnamon or nuts. Add a little zing to oats to make a special breakfast. You can decorate a bowl of porridge with sliced fresh or dried fruit, all bran flakes, rainbow bubbles, choc chips, stars, confetti, mini balls or coconut. Most of all, have fun with food; make it scrumptiously warming and full of goodness so no one can resist these delicious porridges. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (give yourself up to him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrusting yourself into His keeping) and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31
6 My kids were brought up with the many wise sayings from Proverbs 22:17 to Proverbs 24 ~ Proverbs 22 ~ 17-21 “Listen and I will teach you what wise men have said. Study their teachings, and you will be glad if you remember them. I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now... They contain knowledge and good advice, and will teach you what the truth really is. Then you are sent to find it out and you will bring back the right answer.” 1. 22-23 “Don’t take advantage of the poor just because you can; don’t take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.” 2. 24-25 “Don’t make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers. You might learn their habits and not be able to change.” 3. 26-27 “Don’t promise to be responsible for someone else’s debts if you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed.” 4. 28“Never move an old boundary mark that your ancestors established.” 5. 29 “Show me a man who does a good job, and I will show you a man who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.” ~ Proverbs 23 ~ 6. 1-3 “When you sit down to eat with an important man, keep in mind who he is; if you have a big appetite, restrain yourself and don’t be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you.”
7 7. 4-5 “Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.” 8. 6-8 “Don’t eat at the table of a stingy man or be greedy for the fine food he serves “Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn’t mean it; what he thinks is what he really is. You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted.” 9. 9 “Don’t try to talk sense to a fool; he can’t appreciate it.” 10. 10-11 “Never move an old boundary mark or take over land owned by orphans. The Lord is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you.” 11. 12 “Pay attention to your teacher and you will learn all you can.” 12. 15-16 “Son, if you become wise, I will be very happy. I will be proud when I hear you speaking words of wisdom.” 13. 17-18 “Don’t be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be your concern of your life. If it is, you have a bright future.” 14. 19-21 “Listen, my son, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live. Don’t associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food. Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.” 15. 22-25 “Listen, to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old show her your appreciation. Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense - these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell. A righteous man’s father has good reason to be happy. You can take pride in a wise son. Make your father and mother proud of you; give your mother that happiness.”
8 16. 26-28“Pay close attention, son, and let my life be your example. Prostitutes and immoral women are a deadly trap. They wait for you like robbers and cause many men to be unfaithful.” 17. 29-35 “Show me someone who drinks too much, who has to try out some new drink, and I will show you someone miserable and sorry for himself, always causing trouble and always complaining. His eyes are bloodshot and he has bruises that could have been avoided. Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, though it sparkles in a cup, and it goes down smoothly. The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly. You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, sea-sick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. “I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it, why can’t I wake up? I need another drink.” ~ Proverbs 24 ~ 18. 1-2 “Don’t be envious of evil people, and don’t try to make friends with them. Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.” 19. 3-4 “Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding. Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable things.” 20. 5-6 “Being wise is better than being strong; yes knowledge is more important than strength. After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.” 21. 7 “Wise sayings are too deep for a stupid person to understand. He has nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.” “Peace I leave with you; My (own) peace I now give and bequeath to you.” John 14:27
9 22. 8-9 “If you are always planning evil you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker. Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others.” 23. 10 “If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.” 24. 11-12 “Don’t hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.” 25. 13-14 “Son eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue, you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future.” 26. 15-16 “Don’t be like the wicked who scheme to rob an honest man or to take away his home. No matter how often an honest man falls, he always gets up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.” 27. 17-18 “Don’t be glad when your enemy meets disaster and don’t rejoice when he stumbles. The Lord will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then he might not punish him.” 28. 19-20 “Don’t let evil people worry you; don’t be envious of them. A wicked person has no future, nothing to look forward to.” 29. 21-22 “Have reverence for the Lord and the King, my son. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them; such men could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?” “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).” Ephesians 5:15
10 ~ More Wise Sayings ~ Proverbs 24:23-34 “Wise men have also said things: It is wrong for a judge to be prejudiced. If he pronounced a guilty person innocent, he will be cursed and hated by everyone. Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation. An honest answer is a sign of true friendship. Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living. Don’t give evidence against someone else without good reason, or say misleading things about him. Don’t say “I’ll do to him just what he did to me! I’ll get even with him!” I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid man. They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down. I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it. Have a nap and sleep if you want to fold your hands and rest awhile, but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber.” ~ MOTHER ~ Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you’ve had a baby…. Somebody doesn’t know that once you’re a mother, ‘normal’ is history. *** Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct… Somebody never took a three-year old shopping. *** Somebody said being a mother is boring….. Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a leaner driver’s permit. ***
11 Somebody said if you’re a ‘good’ mother, your child will ‘turn out good’…. Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee. *** Somebody said you don’t need an education to be a mother…. Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his Maths. *** Somebody said you can’t love the second child as much as you love the first…. Somebody doesn’t have two children. *** Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labour and delivery…. Somebody never watched her ‘baby’ get on the bus for the first day of school….Or on a plane headed for a year overseas *** Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married…. Somebody doesn’t know that marriage adds a new son- or daughter-in-law to a mother’s heartstrings. *** Somebody said a mother’s job is done when her last child leaves home…. Somebody never had grandchildren. *** Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don’t need to tell her…. Somebody isn’t a mother.
12 ~TIPS ~ • Cut shapes from plain white or brown bread with biscuits cutters. If you don’t have any biscuit cutters, cut squares, triangles or strips instead using a small knife. • Do not give whole or roughly chopped nuts to kids under 5 years old. • To make pizzas into Calzone, simply fold the pizza in half and seal the edges well with water to make a pizza style parcel. • Add toppings and make food look like colourful insects, flowers, faces etc. Experiment with ideas of your own. Please note these pictures do not necessarily reflect the end product. Note: Any white porridge that can be cooked can be changed with the following ingredients as listed in options 1 to 8. “And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 28:13
13 ~ BASIC OAT MIX ~ 3 – 4 servings – 1 cup oats – 1½ cups milk – Pinch salt – 1½ cups water Mix well and keep stirring until it boils; lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat; let it stand for 2-3 minutes before eating. Add the following ingredients to change porridge 1) Custard Oats:- 3 tablespoons of custard powder 3 tablespoons sugar 2) Banana Oats:- 1 large banana 3 tablespoons sugar 3) Coconut Oats:- 6 tablespoons desiccated coconut 3 tablespoons sugar 4) Peanut butter Oats:- 1 tablespoon peanut butter 3 tablespoons sugar 5) Nesquik Oats:- 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons strawberry Nesquik Powder or any flavoured drink powder “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
14 6) Any Flavoured Jam Oats:- 2 tablespoons strawberry or any other jam 3 tablespoons sugar 7) Strawberry yoghurt energy crunch Oats:- ½ cup strawberry yoghurt energy crunch 3 tablespoons sugar 8) Vanilla/Caramel essence:- 1 teaspoon essence 3 tablespoons sugar NOTE:- 1 teaspoon of food colouring will change the appearance. “And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watch over one another, studying how we may stir up (simulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities.” Hebrews 10:24
15 ~ FRUIT FACES ~ These fresh and fruity breakfasts or desserts can be ready to serve in minutes: You can make fruit faces with plain or flavoured yoghurt. Place yoghurt into a bowl and decorate with……. Fresh fruit and chocolate drops for the eyes. Fresh fruit or biscuits for the ears Fresh fruit or a cherry for the mouth. Orange segments, breakfast cereal or chocolate drops for the hair. “As for you, be calm and cool and steady.” 2 Timothy 4:5