So...you wake up with expectations and than those expectations explode either in one big blowout or in a series of little bombs that end with you being defeated and declaring that this was a bad day.  So what do you do??  Do you go to bed early, willing that the next day would be better??  Do you wallow in self-pity, crying into a glass of wine (or something stronger)?  Do you get bitter and take your frustrations out on anyone that comes within 50 feet of you??  

Today, we had a bad day.  Oh, it started well enough, but it didn't take long for things to start to explode.  First, there was a pretty medium to hefty size bombshell that had me in instant defeatist mode.  My day was ruined, my eyes filling with tears.  My husband, ever the optimist, felt that the bombshell may have been a more of a dud than a real explosion and felt that the day was not as bad as it seemed.  Well, it was.  We were bombarded throughout the day with small bombs, tiny bombs and one really large bomb.  I found myself walking through Walmart with tears in my eyes and asking God why.  It did occur to me that a bomb to me was a mere water balloon to most everyone else, but I was in full pity party mode declaring that the day had defeated me...the day had won....and I drooped my shoulders down to the floor.  I stood in Walmart ranting on and on about how unfair life could be and the eventual drive home had me ranting on about so many ways life sucks right now including our dark house on a street filled with so many beautiful lights.  Tears were a constant companion throughout the day and as soon as I walked in the door, I proclaimed to my kids about how much of a failure the day had been.

So...what to do?  To keep my shoulders drooping under the weight of a tough world?  To go hide in my room, crying and whining and shaking my fist at God?  Those are all options...options that under normal circumstances, I would have done.

An interesting thing happened on my road to self desolation...I mentioned a topic.  I spoke it out into the room where we were all gathered.  It was a simple topic, but one that elicited great emotion and had everyone speaking and the excitement level growing and growing.  I mentioned my son's upcoming birthday party.  You see, we had a plan for his party, but I started to, as the day grows closer and closer, see the flaws in the plan...so I came up with a new plan.  I tossed this out into the space of the living room, and the plans began.  Ideas began to be tossed around.  A new plan was formed and everyone was happy...cheerful...connected.

This spilled into one of the best nights ever.  We spent the evening in the glow of the Christmas tree, eating a simple dinner of rottesseirrie chicken, green beans and rolls followed by cookie brownies and watching two GREAT Christmas movies: "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and "Rudolph".  Gone were the thoughts of a failed day.  Gone was the self pity.  The shoulders had found their way back to where they belong.  We laughed.  I cried (the movie gets me every time...and no, not Rudolph).  We sang along to Rudolph.  We had a great time as a family.  The problems of the day are still there, but the feelings of despair have melted away.

You hear so often people say "I choose joy" and I often roll my eyes.  But, tonight that is what Matt and I did.  We chose joy and God honored that.  As we waited for Daniel to finish his shower so we could put him to bed, Matt said..."that was a great night."  And it was.

Advice needed:  

Here is my question:  Is there a place for the calculator in math?

Ok.  I know that when you get into the higher High School math levels, a calculator is a must, but my question goes more towards the lower Jr. High level.

Here is my dilemma...or my daughter's dilemma.  Math is her weakest subject.  She can do it, but it can often times overwhelm her and she will shut down.  Matt thinks there is nothing wrong with her using her calculator in some capacity.  I waiver on this issue.  I see the value in working out the problems.  But, the issue can often be that in some problems the act of working out problems can become so overwhelming, that she loses sight of what she needs to come up with.

Here is an example.  She needs to come up with the lcm (lowest common multiplier) of a given set of numbers.  She begins the tedious task of multiplying each number by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and so on until she finally reaches the number that matches.  When the starting numbers are numbers like 13 and 24 (for example), this can go on for a long time and she gets more and more frustrated.  

Yes, I know that it is good for her, technically, to work out each of these problems until she reaches a match...but I also know that math is not part of her future.  Oh, she will need math skills, but I just wonder if the lesson (getting to that lcm) gets lost in her frustration.  So often, she forgets so many of the simplest things because she immediately begins to shut down at the task ahead.  If she had the ability to use her calculator, I think she would be better focused on figuring out how to solve the problem.  

So, that's my question.  At this level, is there a place for using a calculator?  If the problems she is faced with is long division, than obviously a calculator should not be used...or should be used in limited capacity.  Should the student be considered in that decision?  I.e. a student like Daniel where math is easy for him and he finds it fun to figure out...not an option.  A student like Sierra, though, that struggles and gets easily frustrated...maybe so?  

Please leave answers in comment section for others to gain knowledge!

This morning, I was thinking about my daughter and her talent with art.  I was reflecting on how when she gets a pencil and paper in her hands, she lights up and I am amazed at what she will end up drawing.  As I cycled through the amazing things she can do, I began to think on how often she tells me she feels dumb at times.  It seems that so many other kids her age are ahead of her academically and they can sometimes make her feel dumb when she doesn't process things in the same way.

This got me to thinking of my own father.  My whole life, I heard him talk down upon himself.  He would always say how dumb he was.  He considered himself a poor reader and just generally slow.  Now, you have to understand something.  My father graduated high school with his goals already set in his mind.  He joined the Navy so that he could go to college.  As soon as he got out of the Navy, he enrolled in college and went on to get a MASTERS degree in Education.  This was a means to another end....he wanted to become a High School football coach....which he did indeed do.  He was so successful that he took his team to state twice and won both times.  He even earned the title of Coach of the Year for the state of New Mexico one year.

A dumb man he was not.  Neither is Sierra.

What got me thinking of my father while thinking of Sierra?  My dad was also an artist.  He painted the most vivid oil paintings as well as made the most beautiful jewelry.  He could see art in just about anything.  He once made me a silver and turquoise bracelet out of forks.  I still have it today and if you looked at it, you would never be able to tell!!

School did not come easy for him, nor does it for Sierra.  Is it because they lack any sort of intelligence?  No!!  It is just that their brains are not wired to see things in linear form.  This is the issue with public school.  The public school teacher lacks the time and resources to teach the individual child according to their needs.  I am not talking bad about the teacher...she/he works with what they have.  In a classroom of 20+ students, it is just not possible.  Students like Sierra and my dad end up floating along in the system, feeling swept away in a tide, feeling like the dummy without a lifejacket.  

Since homeschooling Sierra, I have been able to observe where her strengths and weaknesses are.  I have seen the damage done to her in being in public school...her self confidence is less than what it should be....her feeling as a failure.  I have been able to start taking those chains that are weighing her down off of her and make her see herself for who she is.  I can also put value where it belongs and take away the junk.  Will she ever be a scientist?  No!!  Do we put a lot of emphasis on science?  No, we don't.  

Does Art = Dumb??  Of course not.  Sierra is one of the smartest people I know.  She doesn't fit into a box....she soars in the clouds.

So, money is tight.  It's always tight and as the year closes down, the financial noose tightens and tightens.  So what better time to go out on a date than when your bank account is fighting hard to stay in the black??  Well...we did it last night and it cost us...oh.....$5.

Matt and I do not get to go out often.  Not just because of money, but because of time.  We are a very busy family with little to no time to even think about going out.  Recently, we found time to go out and spent $15...coming away with full tummies and a take home box with enough food for lunch for one of us.  We then walked around a local outdoor market area before heading home.  We were so proud of ourselves (Chuy's...local mexican restaurant....loads up their dishes with tons of food...we just share a plate, get water, and that with tip equals $15).

Last night, we beat that.  We went to Benihana's for dinner and went and saw the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, in the XD theater and it cost us $5.  That was the total spent on the date.  How you may ask?

Well...first of all, did you know you can sign up to be a part of the Benihana birthday club and get a $30 gift certificate??  Well, you can!!  Matt's birthday is in the month of November.  We simply went to Benihana, ordered the steak and shared it all.  This meal comes with soup and salad.  I do not like their salad, but love their soup.  Matt loves the salad.  He ate the salad...I ate the soup.  We ordered an extra fried rice for me and split the steak, shrimp appetizer, and veggies between us.  We ordered water.  Being his birthday, he even had ice cream delivered.  We were left with paying the tip...$5.  As we walked out of the restaurant  we both commented on how full we were.  So, off to our movie.

If you are doing your math, you will see we have already spent our total at this point.  We got to see Skyfall for free...and in XD!!  How did we manage this, you ask?  Well....Matt is a HUGE James Bond fan.  When they re-released the movies on Blu-Ray, he began buying the movies he loves the most.  A couple of them came with movie cash to see Skyfall.  A couple of them!!  That meant...$20 to go towards the movie ($10 movie money each blu-ray).  We decided to see it in XD expecting to pay a couple dollars per ticket (XD tickets are expensive).  The ticket girl gave us the tickets and did not charge us anything!!  

So, we ate great, fresh made food until we were full....watched a GREAT movie with a HUGE screen and BIG sound in plush, oversized seats.....all for $5!!  I don't mind being a cheap date!!

Some people often ask me how I get my kids to get all their school work done daily/weekly.  There is a very simple solution to that question...I give them daily schedules.  They know each day what needs to be done and it is in checklist form so they can check it off as they go along.  This works especially great because it gives them ownership over their school.  I even let them choose in what order they will do school.  I go the extra mile in making them cute with characters I think they will like.

I am attaching a file that you can look at if you would like to see what we do.  Now, this is Daniel's schedule for the next month...You will notice 2 for each day.  One of these will be for Daniel and one for me.

These tiny little blocks bring out the best and worst in so many people.  Bring up Legos with a group of moms and it is interesting the passion you will have sparked in just about every one.  It can be really mind boggling.  It shocks me just how negatively these little things are viewed by so many moms.

When I bring up Daniel's love of Legos, I am almost always told by this mom or that one how much they hate the things.  Many moms will not allow them in their homes.  I sat in silent shock as one mom told of boxing up all the Legos in her house and THROWING them away.  My heart sank as I thought of how much of a treasure that would have been for my own son.  Why the hostility towards Legos?

Ok, I have stepped on my fair share of Legos.  The pictures you see of the pain levels of stepping on Legos is not exaggerated in the least.  It hurts. And yes, we seem to find Legos in every nook and cranny of our home.  Not cool.  Legos do have their annoyances.  BUT....

They are such a part of imaginative play.  Daniel spends so much of his day creating and recreating things.  He makes space ships, restaurants, schools, playgrounds, cars, trucks, etc.  He learns how to properly balance Legos so they do not fall apart...the weight on one end can't be more than the weight on another end.  He puts all his Lego figures in the most complex of situations from hanging by a homemade grappling hook from the top of the refrigerator or engaging in a zombie war.  The possibilities are endless.

And then there are the models he buys to put together.  There is nothing he loves more than sitting at the table with the Lego packages open before him and his instruction manual.  He does it all by himself and, with pride, shows everyone his completed project.  He loves to go to the store and look at all the boxes and dream about what he wants to build next.  All his money goes towards Legos.

So, what about the mess of Legos?  What about the little pieces scattered all over the floor?  I have heard a couple different solutions.

I was complaining once about the Legos being everywhere and a Lego enthusiast (one who is not anti-Legos) told me that it is important to the kid who loves Legos so much to have their own area.  She arranged her couches to where her son's Legos were behind her couch, out of sight of anyone who might pop in, but with plenty of room for him to build. She said they were rather scattered behind there, but it was her son's place to build.  I suppose when Legos escaped from their designated spot, that she would just toss them back over.

Someone else said they did something similar, but it was a corner of her gameroom.  

The key for us is Daniel has his organized by color in plastic shoe boxes.  Any models he has put together are on a book shelf or a card table or a table in his room (he has that many models).  When he plays with them during the day, he has them scattered on the floor.  We know it is a mine field and do our best to avoid the painful step that is stepping on a Lego.  At days end, it is his responsibility to put them back in their boxes.  Does he complain?  Of course he does.  Who is the parent?  We are.  Every morning, our floor is a Lego free zone.  

Now this works really well for a couple different reasons.  First of all, because he has the responsibility of taking care of the Legos each night, he is far less likely to make as big of a mess.  It's true.  He HATES to clean up Lego messes.  So, we tell him....don't make such a big mess and you won't have as much to clean up.  Also, having the colors organized allows him to really build what he has in his mind without being frustrated sorting through colors.  

So...we love Legos here.  We "oooo" and "aaaaa" at all of his creations.  We see the value in his being able to put together so many things.  He often gets frustrated when something doesn't quite work out, but then he gets to really use problem solving skills.  Also, he gets an allowance and is learning the value of a dollar.  He plans out what he wants to buy and how long it will take him to save up to get it.

Give Legos a chance.  They are expensive...it's true.  BUT, wow.....my son, at least, comes alive when he has Legos in his hands.

Halloween is a holiday that often splits Christians down the middle.  Many believe it is a fun holiday where kids can have fun dressing up and getting candy while others look at their pagan beginnings and decide to shun the holiday and close their blinds and turn off their lights.

I hang my head in shame now as I admit to being the hider for so many years.  I would hold my head high....nose stuck high in the air...declaring that we would not be participating in such holidays.  We would not be party to the deprivation of society nor encourage others to do so.  Oh no.  Not us.  We would make ourselves feel better by taking our daughter to Fall Festivals.  We would even let her dress up in something fun and pretty...only positive characters, please.  I just could not let my daughter behave in such depravity.

About 4 years ago, I came to realize a couple things.  First and foremost, Halloween deprave?  Hmmm....  Like anything, it can be.  If you avoid things that have evil roots, or pagan roots, than you may want to find that cave in the hills and begin growing your own food.  It is unavoidable.  Christmas and Easter, largely celebrated as Christian holidays, are pagan at their roots.  Hmmmm....

Also, as I would go around and see all the kids running around with great joy on their faces as they showed off their costumes, accessories, makeup, etc....I found myself searching for the evil lurking in their shadows and finding none.  I saw joy and fun and I saw a longing in the eyes of my daughter as she watched the fun taking place around her.

Now, there are things about Halloween that do give me pause.  I do not care for all the evil type characters that are portrayed (yes, my daughter was a zombie this year...).  For a long time, I was concerned about the witches you see portrayed.  Here's the thing:  their cartoon like, glorified versions of witches.  When was the last time you saw a witch flying around on a broomstick??

I think too many of us take these things far too serious.  It is imaginative play.  It is a time for neighbors to step outside and laugh and coo over these children who are having so much fun.  The first time I took the kids trick or treating...Daniel was 3 (almost 4) and Sierra was 9.  It was under the worst of circumstances.  My dad had died just days before and we had to go to his town for his funeral.  My kids (Sierra most especially) had been looking forward to trick or treating and I knew we needed to make it happen.  So, we went to a nearby neighborhood in my dad's town and went trick or treating.

Through the pain of my father's death, I found myself laughing as my little guy who was spiderman (I think) and my girl who was a blue haired pop star went home to home trick or treating.  Adults would just coo at them and they had the best time loading their buckets with candy.  I vowed, right then and there, not to take life so darn seriously anymore...and to continue trick or treating as long as my kids want to.

It's so fun.  Sierra has outgrown trick or treating, but she LOVES to hand out the candy and see the kids.  She sits outside the garage and just coos at every little one who pops by.  Daniel is passionate about trick or treating and I just love to see his excitement and to hear what people have to say about his costume.

I have yet to see the evil associated with it, now that I have opened my eyes.  Oh, evil is there...evil is everywhere.  But evil is not found in the 3 year old bumble bee I saw yesterday...or the many Captain America's that came up with muscles bulging....Spidergirl.....Batman.....the cowboy.....or my own little hobo.  There was joy, laughter, giddiness, excitement, love....I saw parents look on in pride as their kids showed off their costumes and reminding their kids to say Thank You...which just about every kids did.

I just wish I had come to this knowledge sooner...I hate that Sierra missed out on so much!!

Well, it has been a few days since my post on whether or not to allow my son to read the Harry Potter series.  I appreciated the comments that were left there and if there was something you had wanted to share, please feel free to share now.

For years, I was against Harry Potter due to the wizardry of the books.  It was quite weird how, after all these years, that I would consider opening up my family to reading the books and watching the movies.  My conviction was strong but then, when I became a Christian, my convictions were strong in many areas that were not necessarily right.

Matt and I sparred a bit on the subject...me taking the con position and he the pro.  He would come up with a reason why HP was a good choice and I would have an argument against it.  We would often end up even because his points were very good as were mine.  One point he brought up was a point that had grieved me for a long time...HP is a book with magic, wizards and witches, but it is good versus evil.  Lord of the Rings, a book series with Christian parallels also has magic and sorcery in it and is good versus evil.  We watch the movies a few times each year...if we allow that, shouldn't we be open to HP. OR, even more to the point...if we DON'T allow HP, shouldn't we NOT allow LOTR??  It's a real head scratcher.

Sierra came into the conversation and asked this question that I thought was a very good point.  She said, shouldn't this be a case by case basis?  She went on to explain that there are kids who probably should not read the book series.  Maybe they are sensitive to certain story lines or maybe they are easily confused between fiction and reality.  These kids should likely not read these books.  However, if the kid in question can read a book and take it for what it is, a fictional story, and is not sensitive to certain story lines, than where is the harm.  Hmmmm....good point.

I soon discovered something I never knew....Sierra has always wanted to read HP.  She never said that she did due to her having respect for our rules, but she has always been curious.  Daniel, however, has no real interest in reading the books.  I started on this topic for the purpose of trying to find a book my son might really get into and want to read...and ended with my daughter getting excited at the possibility of reading the books.

My decision?  We went to the library and picked up a copy for Sierra and one for Daniel.  Sierra inhaled the first book in a matter of a couple days and is halfway through the second.  This makes me happy to see her reading so diligently.  Daniel is taking some prodding.  I am not forcing it upon him, but I am hoping to get him past the first chapter and maybe it hooking him.  Here is the really weird part....I thought it would probably be a good idea for me to read the books.  Sierra is ahead of me, but she is 13 and I trust her judgement.  For Daniel, I thought it would be a good idea for me to read them (which means putting my current series on hold).

So, let me say this before I go on.  I did not take this decision lightly.  The Christian world is split on these books...one side believing them to be evil and the other seeing them as fiction fun.  I see both sides.  I realize that the bible strictly forbids dabbling in magic.  However......

I am reading book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, right now.  I am about 1/2 way done.  My impressions so far are this:

1. This books is very well written.  Rowling is a gifted writer.  She is descriptive in her writing and she does not dumb it down.  She paints a picture that I can clearly see as I am reading the book.  I can see why this appeals to kids and adults alike.  There are few children's chapter books that I can sit and read on my own.  This one is quite good and I understand that they get better unlike other book series that decline.
2. I often find myself getting caught up in the whole witches and wizards words in the book.  I see the characters getting books on famous witches to study at Hogwart's and I can feel my feathers ruffling.  But, here is the thing.  The witches and wizards described in this book hardly fit the witches found in the bible.  They are not praying to a God of the Nile like the sorcerers at the Nile nor practicing pagan rituals like other areas in the bible.  This is a highly fictional, highly exaggerated version of witches and wizards.  They have wands and broomsticks, for heavens sake.  This is a fantasy book about a fantasy world (albeit on planet earth) much like many other fantastical books. 

So, unless I find something along the way that is highly against our views, we will continue on this journey of Hogwarts.  I do not want to get caught up in believing so many things of the world are evil.  I once heard the teaching of a woman at my church who said we should not let our children watch VeggieTales because vegetables do not talk and it will confuse the children.  I remember the argument against watching Happy Feet because it was supposed to have a gay agenda even though the main character was a tap dancing penguin who was male and was totally in love with a female penguin....just because he tap danced did not mean he was gay.

And just because Harry is a wizard who flies on a broomstick and has a wand does not mean this book of pure fiction and fantasy is bad.  It is actually quite enjoyable story telling.

Let me clarify the title.  By reluctant reader, I mean someone who is not inclined to read...not someone who cannot read.  By this I mean, my son is an advanced reader.  He reads well above his grade level...I am not sure to what level.  However, he does not really like to read.  Oh, he reads in the car and when I assign him a book to read, but it is not his choice to read.  He'd rather build with legos or....well....that's about it.  He occasionally plays a video game.  I believe he is likely gifted.

This is how I think his brain works.  He is very analytical.  He can pick out even the most obscure patterns and he excels at math.  His brain is constantly working and putting things together.  Because of this, he is very good at grammar because it is all about breaking down a sentence and putting it in it's parts.  He's great at writing poetry because he can make patterns with words.  He is great at reading because he can figure out how words are formed and what they mean in context.  

So, I am constantly trying to find that book that will hook him...will make him want to sit and read.  I know some people are just not readers, but I also recognize the value of reading.

So, I would like some suggestions and advice on this subject.  I am looking for suggestions on books to read to capture him (no magic treehouse...been there, done that....and nothing too young...he's 7, but his level of reading is much higher) and advice on the subject of one book series that seems to grab the most reluctant of readers...Harry Potter.

Ok, so here's the deal with Harry Potter and our family...we have spent years avoiding the topic.  I have pretty strong objections to the subject matter of the book...and would like to know your opinions whether they agree with me or not.  I want to make an informed decision to whether to get the books for my son.  So, here are my thoughts on Harry Potter and please feel free to comment below on your opinions:

• The first "elephant in the room" thing for me, personally, is the most obvious thing.  The witchcraft and sorcery.  I rather not go there with my family.  Ok...I know it is fiction.  Kids cannot go flying on broomsticks.  I am concerned of what this may open with my kids, though.  I do not want them getting an interest in this subject.  I know after the books first became popular, kids began dressing as wizards and finding more and more about majic and I know God says very plainly in the bible that we are not to tinker with such things.  Am I too sensitive to that??
• I have heard recently that Rowling is very anti-christian.  I'm not sure I can support that??  Does she put any of her agenda in her writing, even subtly?
• I know there is the clear line of good versus evil and I am not against this scenario.  AND, I struggle with my love of Lord of the Rings which is also good versus evil, with one of the lead good guys as a sorcerer.  I know Tolkein's intent, though, was a Christian parallel.  I doubt Rowling's was.  But, should that exclude the book from the list?  Daniel reads book without a Christian intent all the time.

I am serious about wanting input on book suggestions as well as Harry Potter advice both pro and con.  I encourage you to comment on here versus my facebook page so others can read your wise words and can get a better idea on the subject.     

Yesterday, I posted a blog on how my kids eat regular food and not "kid" food.  In that post, I explained about how my daughter used to be a picky eater who only ate PB&J and chicken nuggets.  Let me explain a bit further.

I said that she one day asked for salad and that was the beginning of change in her life...but let me clarify that by stating....it was ONLY the beginning.  While I had released the battle of food for her when she was younger, this step forward she made with the salad began a NEW battle, but being 5 or 6 years old, it became an easier battle.  Try to reason with a 3 year old about food and you might as well reason with a wall on why it should move to a different spot.  Try to reason with a 6 year old, and you at least have a little movement.  This battle would last for a couple years.

Here is what we did.  We seized the opportunity of having her more open to new things (and by open, I mean a CRACK of a HEAVY door).

This is what I would advice.  Do not overwhelm your picky eater with a plate full of food he/she does not like.  This is the quickest way to get them to shut down!!  My daughter is as hard headed as they come.  If I saw her eat salad one day and than put in front of her a plate with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans the next day, she would likely withdraw into her old ways out of fear and hardheadedness   The salad does not mean her issues are over...it just means there is hope.

Ranch dressing is a good example.  I am not pro-ranch, but I know that traditionally ranch is loved by kids.  I put ranch on her salad and kept doing it for a while until I put a different, lighter, healthier dressing on for her "to try" and she loved it more so than the heavy, creamy ranch.

So, what we would do is we would put something on her plate she likes a lot...say she started to like grilled chicken.  Ok...so she gets a juicy grilled chicken breast and than a small pile of green beans.  Oh, the joys of watching your kid try the green beans and gag!!  She had such an issue with texture and flavor, she would literally gag at every meal.  In this case, we would, first and foremost, not bring any attention to the gagging.  I feel strongly that a small portion of the gagging was physical, but the better portion of the gagging was more show for us.  We chose to ignore it.

Also, I am not above bribery.  "If you will just eat 5 green beans, you can have dessert.....or 50 cents....or soda!"  I know many parents will tsk tsk at this, but look...what needs to happen needs to happen.  Do I bribe her now to eat?  No!!  I don't need to.  Once she got past the textures, and the gagging, the need to bribe ceased.  The reward came in the eating of fresh, yummy foods.

If your kid makes it through his/her meal having at least eaten a portion of whatever food he/she finds offensive, maybe make the next meal be a meal that they love.

Also, allow your kids to discover what foods they genuinely do not like.  Give them time and space.  Sierra used to HATE anything to do with potatoes (unless they were in french fry form).  We make the yummiest mashed potatoes and it would drive me crazy that she would not like them....they are real potatoes, boiled, mashed, mixed with butter, sour cream, cheese, and plenty of seasoning.  YUM!!  Nope, no good for her.  However, one day she asked to try them (she would see us enjoying them so).  She was tentative about it, but ended up saying "pretty good".  Now?  She LOVES mashed potatoes.

I do believe kids should try new things.  But, I also believe that they need space to try it.  Food can terrify a kid.  If you put a mountain of something new on their plate and force them to eat it, their preconceived, hardheaded ways will no doubt keep them from allowing themselves to enjoy it.  Sierra still asks me, "what's in this?".  I will say "nothing is in it you do not like".  She trusts me.  I have been known to sneak things in sometimes...but generally speaking, I do not.  I'm honest.

One thing my kids LOVE....like REALLY, REALLY love is my zucchini chips.  I can have their most favorite meal on the plate, and they will, no doubt, devour these before touching the other.

I take a foil lined pan and spray it with nonstick spray.  I clean and slice zucchini in about 1/4 inch slices.  I lay them in one layer on pan.  I spray them with spray margarine and than season lightly with a greek seasoning (but you could season lightly with garlic salt and pepper).  I top them with parmessan cheese, generously.  I then broil them for only a few minutes, until the cheese is slightly browned.  that's it.  They DEVOUR them.  Last time, I squeezed a bit of lemon on them before seasoning or cheese.  You do not want to overcook them...they are better if they are crispy and not mushy.

One thing that drives me crazy is parents who force their kids to eat food they don't like...or knowing their kid doesn't like something, not caring.  When I make a soup with beans in it...I will pick out the beans for Sierra.  Parents scoff at me for doing this simple act of love.  It takes all of 5 minutes at most to do this.  Why is this such a burden??  I once read a book by John Ortberg and he was talking about how when his kid would accidentally spill his drink on the table he would get so angry at the kid for this accident...yelling and wagging his finger.  One day he spilled his own drink and there was no one looming over him yelling at him or wagging their finger at him.  It spoke to him...why is he yelling at his kids for an accidental spill?  It is the same with our food.  As a child, I would get yelled at for not liking fish or liver or a couple of the other things I did not like.  It did not matter to my dad or stepmom that I had a definite dislike of these food items.  I could not help that they tasted horrible.  Look at your own taste palate.  There is something you do not like.  I bet you do not cook it because you do not like it.  So, why are your kids forced to eat food they do not like?  

Again, I am speaking on definite foods that they have a particular dislike of...Sierra and beans.  She has tried them in many forms and just does not like them.  I am not speaking of those kids who have yet to really give the food a try.  But, in order for them to try it, the pressure needs to be lifted and the portion needs to be lightened.  And, yes, sometimes a little bribe can go a long way.