How to raise a spiritual child

Introduce spirituality early on

Introducing spiritual practices to your child when she's young – such as lighting candles or singing hymns together – lets your child view them as a natural part of life, and allows you to have a spiritual influence on her before other people do. Even if you don't believe in God or see God as a single all-powerful being, it's worth talking to your child about it. 

Don't pretend to have all the answers 

When your child asks where people go when they die, answer honestly: "Nobody knows for sure, but some people think they go to heaven to be close to God. Other people think they're born again in a new body."
Inevitably, your child will ask what you think. If you have a strong belief, share it. If not, it's okay to admit that there are some questions people spend their whole lives trying to figure out – and this is one of them.

Use daily events to teach spirituality

Big ideas don't always require big actions. You can demonstrate that spirituality is a part of everyday life by incorporating it into ordinary actions and words. When you open the curtains in the morning, you can say, "Look at this glorious day Mother Nature made." At bedtime, you can sign off with, "God bless you, sweetie pie."

Instill an appreciation of nature

 Nature is a great place to find inspiration and a sense of spirituality. "Kids learn with all their senses – they love to pick up a rock or jump in a puddle or chase a butterfly," says Neifert. Help your child see nature as something precious by demonstrating your own love and respect for it. When you go for a family hike in the woods or a picnic on the beach, clean up after yourself (and even others), and be considerate of creatures in their habitat.

Tell stories

The world's spiritual traditions are full of stories designed to explain everything from how the world was created to why people sometimes do bad things. Read stories together from an illustrated Bible, a book of Hindu mythology, a collection of Jewish folk tales, amending and simplifying as you see fit.

Italian Meat Balls

When I make my Italian meat balls I always remember the scene in The Godfather (one of my favourite movies) where Clemenza is teaching Michael how to make the perfect tomato sauce for them, just in case he needs one day to make it for 20 guys, then Sonny interrupts and tells them to 'cut the crap and we've got more important things to do'……Well, sorry, Sonny, I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one…these meatballs are so drop dead perfectly delicious…nothing can be more important….Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients

450g ground beef

450g ground pork

2/3 cup milk
3 oz white bread

¼ cup anari cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh parsley,

1 teaspoon oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup flour for dusting

1/3 cup olive oil

For the Tomato Sauce:

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons olive oil

Basil and parsley

¼ cup red wine

 

 

Method

This is an easy very quick way to make a rich tomato sauce, I just blend all the Tomato Sauce ingredients and then simmer until your sauce is nice and thick…that's it!!!!

Now, for the meat balls…..heat the milk in a small pot. Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until you have a paste. Leave to cool.

In a large bowl combine the beef, pork, anari cheese, parmesan, eggs, herbs and salt and pepper, the bread mixture. Use your hands to mix mixture well.

Once mixed, I used an ice-cream scoop as a measure for each meatball. Now, roll in your hands and then coat with flour. I placed them on a baking sheet as I was making them and then placed them in the fridge for a while.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and over a medium heat start to brown the meat balls, turning gently until all sides are browned.  What I usually do at this point is turn my heat down and cover the pan with a lid until centers are cooked through.

Once, cooked place meat balls in the heated sauce and serve with spaghetti sprinkled with parmesan.

Bon Appetito!!!

Androulla xxx

 

 

 

 

How to raise your child's emotional intelligence

Coach him to realize when he is stressed 

The first step to reducing stress is recognizing what stress feels like. Share how your body feels when you are under stress and ask your child or teen what goes on for them. You could also share the quote by Sir William Osler: “Our bodies weep the tears our eyes refuse to shed.” Teach your child how being aware of your physical response to stress will help regulate tension when it occurs.

Help your child Identify her stress response 

Everyone reacts differently to stress. If your child tends to become angry or agitated under stress, she will respond best to stress relief activities that quiet her down. If she tends to become depressed or withdrawn, she will respond best to stress relief activities that are stimulating. If she tends to freeze she’ll need stress relief activities such as giving a pet affection and attention that provides both comfort and stimulation.

Encourage your child or teen to discover the stress-busting techniques that work for him 

 The best way to reduce stress quickly is by engaging one or more of your senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Each person responds differently to sensory input, so you need to find things that are soothing and/or energizing to you.  If he responds more to sound, you may find a wind chime, a favorite piece of music, or the sound of a water fountain helps to quickly reduce his stress levels.

How to be a less stressed parent

1. Find a pediatrician you like

 In many ways, your pediatrician is like a partner. In fact, some women say that during the first couple of years, they talked to their pediatrician more than their husbands! Choose a pediatrician who offers practical advice and knows how to listen. Remember, there are no dumb questions when it’s about your child.

2. Incorporate time-saving products and services into your daily routine

Without a doubt, parenting is one of the richest and most satisfying roles we play. It is also filled with repetitive, routine tasks that can zap our best energy. There has been an explosion of modern conveniences designed to save you time and sanity.

For example, tear-free shampoos can help avoid bath-time battles; home-cooked meal delivery services ensure a nutritious dinner on the table. 

3. Plan ahead for tomorrow

To make your morning less hectic, spend a few minutes at night making tomorrow’s bottles and cups, picking out clothes, packing an “on the go” bag, etc. Make a to-do list so you don’t forget important errands. If your children are in pre school or older, let them participate in this routine. In the course of managing your time well, you are teaching them valuable skills. 

4. Establish a predictable night-time routine and create comforting rituals

Reading, singing or a warm bath at the same time each night will help your child understand it is time to go to sleep. Let your child use a safe comfort object to provide security. Keep an “open door” policy to make your child feel connected to you at night.

How to help your children deal with stress

Notice out loud

Tell your child when you notice that something's bothering him or her. If you can, name the feeling you think your child is experiencing. ("It seems like you're still mad about what happened at the playground.") This shouldn't sound like an accusation (as in, "OK, what happened now?

Are you still mad about that?") or put a child on the spot. It's just a casual observation that you're interested in hearing more about your child's concern. Be sympathetic and show you care and want to understand.

Listen to your child

Ask your child to tell you what's wrong. Listen attentively and calmly — with interest, patience, openness, and caring. Avoid any urge to judge, blame, lecture, or say what you think your child should have done instead. The idea is to let your child's concerns (and feelings) be heard.

Try to get the whole story by asking questions like "And then what happened?" Take your time. And let your child take his or her time, too.

Comment briefly on the feelings you think your child was experiencing

For example, you might say "That must have been upsetting," "No wonder you felt mad when they wouldn't let you in the game," or "That must have seemed unfair to you." Doing this shows that you understand what your child felt, why, and that you care. Feeling understood and listened to helps your child feel supported by you, and that is especially important in times of stress.

Put a label on it

Many younger kids do not yet have words for their feelings. If your child seems angry or frustrated, use those words to help him or her learn to identify the emotions by name. Putting feelings into words helps kids communicate and develop emotional awareness — the ability to recognize their own emotional states.

Kids who can do so are less likely to reach the behavioral boiling point where strong emotions come out through behaviors rather than communicated with words.