Once again, I'm amazed at the swiftness by which our big American holiday season has arrived. Just a few days before Thanksgiving and I'm not yet finished with my marketing. I no longer have to cook the entire meal, as we've changed our traditional Thanksgiving holiday to include other friends and family members outside our immediate family. That not only spreads the work around but it supports my beliefs that community is not static and we need to be more inclusive.
This is a great time to invite our children of all ages, even the young ones, to help cook the big meal. When children are involved in the planting, harvesting, marketing, cooking and serving of a meal, they have a better connection to the health of their own bodies. They are more interested in what food does for their bodies and energy levels. And they are more appreciative of the work that goes into cooking a healthy meal.
I've noticed that the latest stage my 2 and 3/4 year old grandson is exhibiting is "no, not interested in eating what you suggest". when I ask him to help me prepare food he gets excited and then he wants to eat what we've "cooked".....I encourage parents to find ways to spend more time with their children by inviting them to help with meal preparation. It's quality time as well as a learning experience.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
