Forgive

Never take anything personal that children or anyone says to you.  Whether it is a student or your own child, let it go.  My mother used to say to me when other children had said mean things,  “Just let it roll off your back like water on a duck’s back.”

When you let what others say upset you, they think they have a way to control you.

LET IT GO!  Forgive!  Treat everyone unconditionally.   If you can master this, it will have amazing results.

Good Luck!

Birds Nests for the ER sound.

Birds Nests

1. Melt:        1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

(If using natural peanut butter add 1 Tbsp. Butter)

3/4 cup chocolate chips

2. Stir in:      2 cups chow mein noodles

3. Drop big spoonfuls onto wax paper.

4. Make a hole in the middle with a spoon.

5. Put 2 or 3 jelly beans in each nest.

6. Cool and enjoy!

Fun for Easter and for learning the ER sound. (Easter, bird, butter, stir)

Waffles

1. Use whole wheat flour or unbleached flour.
2. Mix then set aside:

•       2 cups flour
•       1 t. baking powder
•       ½ t. salt

3. Separate 2 eggs.
4. Beat the egg whites.
5. Mix:

•          2 egg yolks
•          1 T. honey
•          2 cups water
•          1/4 cup oil

6.  Beat wet and dry ingredients together.

7. Fold in the beaten egg whites.

8. Cook in waffle iron.

9.  Add butter and honey and enjoy!  (It is nice to have them try something different on waffles than syrup.)

Discipline Tip—Use Less Words

• Listening more and talking less are what I work on constantly.
• When a child misbehaves, use as few words as possible.  Sometimes a look or the word, “STOP” is enough to stop a behavior.  Use time-out or move them if necessary.
• If a child needs to be talked to about a problem, make it one on one, if at all possible. Have them tell you the problem and have them give you solutions to the problem.  You act as the sounding board.  Have them commit to new behavior.  Have the commitments be positive.  (Use nice words, keeps hands to myself, etc.)
• Older children can make a written commitment or promise and sign it.

Good luck on your commitment to talk less and listen more.

NO Bake — Awesome Bars

      Awesome Bars

1. Mash: 16 graham crackers (in plastic bag)

2. Mix:

• graham cracker crumbs
• 1 can sweetened canned milk
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups crispy rice

3. Butter paper plates or a 9×13 pan.

4. Pat mixture into pan or individual plates.

5. Sit 10 or more minutes.

6. Enjoy!

This is easy and fun to make with children because there is no baking or cooking.   Fun to do when teaching the AW as in SAW sound.

Muffins Grain-free

Grain-free Muffins

Tips:

• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
• Use parchment muffin papers so the muffins don’t stick to the paper. (Order online.)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 teas. baking soda
• 1 teas. baking powder
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup fruit (applesauce, mashed bananas, pureed apricots, etc.)
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil or avocado oil

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl.
• Mix the other ingredients then mix with the eggs.
• Scoop into 12 muffin tins.
• Bake until toothpick come out clean. (About 20 minutes.)
• Serve with butter or plan.

Pumpkin Pie

Crust: (no shortening)

• 1/3 c. whole wheat or unbleached flour
• 1 c. unbleached flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 c. oil
• 3 T. milk

Mix flours and salt together.  Mix the milk and oil in a separate bowl with a fork until the milk is suspended in the oil.  Add oil mixture to flour mixture and mix with a fork only until mixed.  Roll out between wax paper.  Roll the dough out within 15 minutes.

Tips:

• The less the dough is mixed the better.
• Don’t make more than a triple batch at one time.
• The better quality the oil the better it tastes.  Try Expeller Pressed.

Pie Filling

Put ingredients in a blender in the order listed.

• 2 eggs
• ¾ c. sugar
• 1 c. pumpkin (fresh cooked or frozen pumpkin tastes better)
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 ½ c. evaporated milk
• ½ t. salt
• ½ t. ginger
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 T. oil

Blend then pour gently into an unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Whipped Cream

Whip 1 c. of whipping cream until it starts to be whipped.

• Add 1 T. instant vanilla pudding
• 3 T. powdered sugar or to taste.
• ½ t. vanilla

Whip to mix.

This is a stable whipped cream that can be used as a frosting or topping and won’t separate.

 

Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and Gravy (15 minutes prep time)

              (A family favorite)

                     Biscuits (makes 12)

• Use a fork to mix ¼ C. expeller-pressed oil, coconut oil, or avocado
• With ¾ C. milk/ water
• Sift together 2 C. flour (wheat or unbleached)
• With 1 T. baking soda (aluminum-free)
• And ½ t. salt

Mix the dough together with a fork just until mixed.   (About 20 strokes.)  Make 12 small mounds of dough on a baking pan or roll out the dough to about 1 inch thick, then cut with a biscuit cutter or glass.  Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes.

*Too much stirring will make the dough too heavy.

*This can be doubled but anymore than that, it will take too much stirring and will make the dough to heavy.

                  Gravy   (Make while the biscuits are baking.)

• Brown 1 lb. of MSG-free sausage
• Mix in 3 T. flour (wheat or unbleached) into the sausage.  (If there isn’t about 3 T. of fat from the sausage then add some butter.)
• Cook for 1 minute.
• Slowly pour in 3 cups of a mixture of milk, broth, and water.  Stirring constantly until gravy starts to thicken    (It will thicken more as it cools.)
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• For a richer flavor, add about 2 T. shredded Parmesan Cheese or sour cream at the end.

Telling on other Children

              Telling on Others!  

No one wants to listen to children constantly telling on other children.  This is a hard issue because children need to know they can say if something is truly wrong, but when children tell on every little thing it is very disruptive in a class or at home.  Also, children need to learn to resolve some of their own differences with children and adults.   Here are a few ideas for helping children do their own work and learn to resolve their differences:

• Sometimes children need to be seated differently, so it isn’t so easy for them to mother the other children.
• Have the rule: We all do our own work.
• When a child complains about how someone isn’t sharing, etc., encourage them to use their words and ask for a turn.  Most children like to share if they are asked nicely.
• Encourage them to make sure they are doing what they should.
• Praise children that are doing their own work.
• When doing cooperative play or projects, encourage them to let their friends help.
• Have a discussion about what kind of things are important to tell the teacher or parent and what things they can resolve themselves.  Knowing this will create successful students and adults.  Bullying can never be tolerated and children need to understand that they can tell.
• Everyone has a personal inner guide, conscience, or holy spirit.  It is good to help children find their inner guide and listen to it.  This can help children know when to tell and when to resolve it themselves.
• Use positive words when talking about this problem.  It is best to use words that point them in the direction they need to go like, “Use your words.” “Do your own work.” “Make sure you are being a good friend to everyone.”  Negative labels never help.

This is hard skill to master, but it is an important part of growing up.  No one wants friends that are continually complaining.   It doesn’t work well in the job world.  It is also important to know when to say something to stop bullying and abuse.  Please comment with ideas you have for working on these issues.

MiXed Pumpkin Cookies for the X sound

This is a fun cooking project to go with the X sound.

MiXed Pumpkin Cookies

1. MiX:

• ½ cup oil or butter
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
  1 egg
  1 tsp. vanilla
  1 cup pumpkin

2. MiX:

• 2 ½ cups flour
  1 tsp. baking powder
  1 tsp. baking soda
  1 tsp. cinnamon
  ½ tsp. nutmeg
  ½ tsp. salt

3. MiX:     ½ bag of Chocolate Chips

4. Drop on greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Cool!

6. Frost with Frosting or eat plain. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
Mix or beat 8 oz. cream cheese – softened, 1 stick of butter- softened, 2 T. milk, 1 t. vanilla and
About 3 cups of powdered sugar until it is thick and smooth.