Kids and critters

All too often I see, "Need home for my dog/cat because we are having a baby." This perplexes me. Animals are a wonderful learning experience, and friend for children. And, as long as the animal isn't aggressive toward people, I see the baby excuse as a very poor excuse.

Zoey's first day home from the hospital. Our cats immediately knew she was family.

Babies are interesting little creatures. They are loud, high pitched and occasionally, smell really bad. But, babies take on the smell of their mother when they are born, so animals immediately accept them into the family. I certainly wouldn't leave an animal alone with a new baby, however.

One of our cats would always be near Zoey, until she learned to crawl.

An animal in the house can be a wonderful way to teach respect, and boundaries. Even toddlers will learn that if you offer the dog a part of your cookie he or she will come and play, or if you pet the cat gently it will purr. But, if you scream or hit, your furry friend will run away in a flash. Sometimes, fun is the only lesson needed. A bird will mimic songs, and cats and dogs chase the toy.

In some cases rough housing is okay. Mya was 17 months old with Grandma's new puppy.

A bit of comfort can be found in four furry legs. Mya has asthma. Luckily for her, pet dander doesn't trigger her asthma attacks. Sometimes she will feel extra weak and miserably during a cold, and someone is there right away for her to pet and love.  They even keep her company during her nebulizer treatments on very bad days.

Our cats always know when someone needs a little love.

Of course, some people cannot have pets. Some people do not have time or finances to have a pet. This, I understand. There are still opportunities to teach your children about critters, even if it's just your park or zoo.

Mr. Goose will bite your fingers, feed him carefully!

Let your children discover all of the critters around. Take a trip to the pet store, if nothing else. Make sure you let them decide on the animals they adore or admire. If you can't stand birds, don't let them know. If you are terrified of snakes, look away when they look into the tank. Let them have an opinion before you give them yours. You never know what they might find.

Mya with four of blogger  Melinda's, corn snakes.

"Kid food"

Next time you go out to eat-anywhere- take a look at the kids' menu. What do you see? Mac and cheese, chicken tenders and fries, a burger (served with no lettuce or tomato, I bet.) Some places give the kids' menu an option. One entree, and one side. The sides include fries, mashed potatoes, some veggie, or seasonal fruit. How are we supposed to teach out children to have a healthy balanced meal, if one is not offered? (We make a point to order a side and a vegetable, even if we have to pay the extra two dollars.) The more I take my girls out to eat, the more I notice this frustrating trend.

Another of the biggest problems I see, is, kids who refuse to try food, get special meals made for them, and have no variety in their diet. More times than I wish, I have seen a family entering a restaurant, with a child aged three to nine toting a bag of fast food.

We are a fat country. We are getting fatter, and this will not stop if we don't teach our children to eat healthy, balanced meals. There is a rule in my household. You must try everything that is presented to you during a meal. Mya has tried avocado every time I eat it. She doesn't like it, but her reasoning is, "I might like it this time! Tastes change." It's a wonderful rule to live by, and has lead Mya to excitement about trying new things. Most people look at her with awe when she is eating an "adult food," such as stuffed peppers, or artichoke, but I believe it should be a normal thing, and we should expect our children to eat foods with flavor, and not so much salt.

Now, I am firmly against the 'clean your plate' rule, but one bite of every item must be gone. And, when a meal is presented, by me, it is healthy. I cook with all natural ingredients, and I make everything from scratch. While it may take a little longer to make our meals this way, the health of my family is important. I have perfected some delicious meals that are wonderful and healthy, and are made in less than an hour, including a low fat alfredo, and incredibly low fat pineapple cupcakes. (I will make future posts on these.)

I suppose this is more of a rant or public service announcement. Just take a look at what your children are eating. Don't cook a hot dog for your child, because you are having a salad, or stop at Mcdonalds, because a three year old won't eat at a Chinese restaurant. We are weeding out all other stereotypes, so let's get rid of this one.

I'd like to banish this "kid food" stereotype. Even if I have to try one kid at a time.