I like simple dinner ideas and thought you might like one too! All you need is 4 ingredients and about 4 minutes to get dinner in the crockpot for your family.
4 lbs of Chicken (frozen or thawed). You can use chicken tenders, thighs, or chicken breasts.
1 cup of Rice – I used Jasmine rice.
Directions:
1. Add chicken, salsa and coconut milk to crockpot and stir.
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2. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or cook on high for about 1 3/4 to 2 hours. These times are APPROXIMATE and I encourage you to check on and stir your chicken regularly.
3. When chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the crock pot.
4. Add a cup of rice to the remaining liquid and cook on high for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy!
For a similar dish with a Mexican twist, add regular salsa and cream cheese instead of the Thai salsa and coconut milk.
When our friends (Mark and Stacey) purchased a home on Marco Island and invited us to leave the snow and freezing February temps in Minnesota and join them for a sunny, GORGEOUS weekend in Florida … we couldn’t say YES fast enough.
I could not wait to put my toes in the sand, see the beautiful Florida sunsets, have time with friends – and not wake up to an alarm, a puppy, or a child.
My amazing in-laws offered to drive up and stay with our boys so that Ted and I could escape to ISLAND LIFE!
When we arrived, the PALM trees immediately put a smile on my face. Palm trees = sunshine.
Our first stop was lunch in Naples. I’d never been to Naples and thought it was beautiful. Downtown Naples is a great place to walk, window shop, and eat.
Naples, Florida – June 14, 2019: Tourist walk and shop along the restaurants and luxury stores of 5th Avenue in downtown Naples Florida USA
It was hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that in Minnesota, the sky was gray, the ground was covered in snow, and the temperature was barely above zero…and here it was all sunshine and 80 degrees. How was it possible? I didn’t spend much time trying to figure it out – I just wanted to soak so much in that I could bring it back to Minnesota.
Lunch in Naples – I’d been up since 3AM! Our friends – aren’t they cute?
After lunch, we drove to our friend’s lovely home on Marco Island. Seventy five percent of the homeowners live on water. If you are a boater or want to be on the water – this place is paradise!
We changed our clothes and jumped on their wave runners.
Did you know Marco Island is the largest of TEN THOUSAND islands in southwest Florida? Most of the islands are unpopulated and covered in mangroves. Some have their own private beaches and are loaded with shells and wildlife. We pulled up to one of the islands, searched for shells, and watched the amazing sunset.
The gorgeous sunset
That night I went to bed early since I’d been up since 3 AM to catch a flight.
Friday, we started the day with a bike ride to a bagel shop for breakfast.
We biked home, changed into our swimsuits, and spent the next few hours at the beach. Marco Island beach was huge, with soft, warm sand and loaded with shells.
Marco has one of the WIDEST in Florida!
Walking the beach gave me a flashback:
When I was a child, my parents took a trip to Florida and came back with white shells. We painted them and gave one to each child in my class. The Marco Island beach had the exact same shells all over the beach. I gathered some of my own to carry on this tradition with MY kids!
Painted seashells
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After a delightful day on the beach, we went home to shower and change, then came back to watch the sunset.
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After the sun had set, we went to dinner at the historic Snook Inn.
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Saturday we took the wave runners to KeeWaydin Island. KeeWaydin has no roads or bridges to get there. People just pull their boats and wave runners right up to the island and hang out. There are concession ‘boats’ that sell food, drinks, ice cream and even gifts!
Boats moared up on Keewaydin Island near Naples in Florida
After walking around and relaxing on the unique Keewaydin Island, we got back on the wave runners to explore the islands around Marco.
Our plan was to ride the wave runners to see the abandoned Cape Romano house, (pictured below)…but one of the wave runners had engine trouble, so we didn’t get there. Cape Romano was hand built on what USED TO BE an island. A hurricane destroyed the island and most of the home. What is left is now inhabited by wildlife. (Click here to see more pics and read the story!)
Unfortunately, the hurricane in 2022 buried or destroyed what was left of Cape Romano.
We watched another amazing sunset …
…and went to a place called Deep Lagoon for dinner in the beautiful Marco Island Marketplace and Marina.
Sunday we went back to the beach and took a long walk before we had to catch our flight home.
Marco Island has vast amounts of wildlife. We spotted tons of dolphins, a variety of birds, unique fish, turtles and a manatee!
We found this huge conch shell
I missed my boys and was excited to see them. As we were landing, we got the text that our boys were going back into ‘distance learning.’ Because of TWO cases of Covid at their school, everyone was sent home for two weeks! I’d get LOTS of time with my boys after being away from them. And we’ve gotten much better at distance learning since last year. (Read how bad it was at the beginning here)
This was the first time I’ve ever escaped the cold to take a trip to Florida in February, and now I may never be able to survive another winter without making this an annual tradition. Getting a break from the frigid temps, having a few days to ourselves, with great friends, was really refreshing and I’m so very grateful!
I came home and realized the warmth I was trying to ‘soak in’ to bring back to Minnesota really worked. It wasn’t much warmer outside, but the warmth stayed with me on the inside! The escape to Florida with friends lifted my spirit.
First of all, just planning our trip to Florida gave me something to look forward to, then getting to be in that Florida sunshine melted that ‘winter gloom’ and boosted my joy, even after coming home.
If you are a person who gets the “winter blues” … consider getting away for a long weekend like we did! If that’s not a possibility, click here for some other suggestions!
Here are more pictures and some video footage of our trip:
I felt like I didn’t read much this month, but somehow I finished six books! I read with my kids most days, and a little by myself here and there. Two were fairly quick reads, two I’ve been reading for months and finally finished, and one I listened to on the Hoopla app. Here are my reviews:
Review: When Sara Blakely mentioned how much she was inspired by this writer, I went to my local library and checked out a couple of her books. They are SO uniquely written – full of color and written by hand. I’d recommend this book to any writer who needs a little inspiration and encouragement, as well as some fresh ideas. This book made me open up my journal and start writing!
Review: Andrew and I worked together at New Life Church. His love for God and kindness towards others is contagious. This book shares Andrew’s journey of faith, and encourages the reader in their faith journey as well. My favorite parts of this book were the stories he told of our mutual friend Jack, as well as some other heroes of history. This is a book you’ll want to read slowly so that you have time to absorb and reflect on each chapter.
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Here are some books I read with my boys:
How Great is our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio
Rating: 10/10
Review: My kids and I absolutely loved Louie’s first devotional for kids, and were excited to read this one too! Each day has a Bible verse and a short and interesting story about science and God.
Review: This book confused me. First, it’s supposed to be for children, so I was reading it with one of my sons, but some of the content discussed was not for children. Thankfully, my son wasn’t super interested in this book so we started another book together and I finished this on my own. Second, it’s supposed to be nonfiction but filled with tons of opinions and ‘she might have said this or done that.’
Overall, It was an interesting story of an enslaved woman owned by George and Martha Washington. The story tells how her life (may have been) as Martha’s slave, how and why she may have escaped, and a little about her life as a free woman.
One of my favorite places to visit in Minnesota is Como Zoo and Conservatory.
Not only is it historic and beautiful, but it’s FREE (though donations are appreciated).
The animals are nice and they are definitely what lure my children here, but my favorite part is the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.
The Conservatory was built in 1915, and is one of the few remaining original Victorian style glasshouses in North America. Inside are two acres of beautiful flowers and greenery ‘under glass.’ The display inside the conservatory changes five times a year, so you never know what beauty you’ll encounter when you visit.
Como Zoo and ConservatoryGorgeous Foxglove
Because of Covid, they are asking everyone to book tickets online in advance (there is no charge for the tickets). This is one of the few Covid changes I like, because it means there are only a select number of tickets they give out each day, so it’s not crowded! (Click here to reserve your space.)
The animals came before the conservatory. Como Zoo started in 1897 when the city of St. Paul was gifted 3 deer and created a fenced in area to keep them.
Como was the first zoo in the world to successfully hand raise Siberian tigers.
Besides tigers and deer, there are many other animals to observe and enjoy. Luke loves the Arctic foxes and penguins, George’s favorites are the monkeys (we all like the monkeys). Paul likes the sloth and fish, I love the birds and giraffes, Clark liked the cougar and giant Polar bear.
The Como Zoo has exhibits inside and outside, so you can enjoy this place all year long.
In the summer, be sure to visit the beautiful Japanese Garden:
After your visit to the zoo, plan to visit the fun playground across the street. There are plenty of tables, perfect for a picnic.
The state’s oldest Dairy Queen dates back to 1947 an is just a mile away. (720 Lexington Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113) This is a fun way to end a spectacular day!
Click here for a peek into one of our visits to Como Zoo and Conservatory! What animals do you spot?
Easter is the best time to get your kids a new devotional or Bible. If you have a hard time getting your kids to read their Bible or a devotional, do it with them. I like to read with my kids when they first wake up or right before they go to bed. Also, my kids are always required to read something before they get on electronics.
This is the Bible in “storybook” form. It’s BEAUTIFULLY written and all my kids have enjoyed listening to it. It’s received about 8,000 five star reviews on Amazon. This is the perfect “FIRST” Bible for kids! However, my 11 year old still asks me to read it to him!
A real chapter and verse Bible for your child, if they don’t have on yet, is a great gift to give them for Easter. My favorite bible for kids is the New International Reader’s Version. This version makes the Bible easier to read and understand.
Most of the time when we think about our lives we think…
“WHAT does God want me to do with my life?”
or
“WHAT should I do for work?”
or
“WHAT are my talents?”
or
“What am I doing with my life?”
We usually think in terms of “What.”
Say…WHAT!?
However, SCRIPTURE suggests to us that the HOW is more important than the WHAT.
23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
In other words…
God’s will is more about “HOW” we live than exactly WHAT it is we do.
What if we found out God’s big plan for our lives is that we wouldn’t spend so much time trying to figure out a big plan for our lives? Perhaps He just wants us to love Him and each other.
This thought should recalibrate how you approach your day.
“HOW” you work has an impact on your:
attitude,
work ethic,
integrity,
reactions.
HOW you go about your day and HOW you do your work is MORE important than the specific job you are doing.
Maybe we will never get to what we are hoping for, until we learn how to have the right attitude about where we are right now.
Why would God get you to the where…if HOW isn’t working for you?
What if HOW you get your work done and HOW you interact with others were the most important things?
The HOW is critical in your marriage and parenting.
What if WHO you are married to is not as important as HOW you are married to that person?
Maybe if WHAT your kids are doing is less important than HOW you are responding to them.
You can love them well. You can serve them well.
Sometimes when we are not doing WHAT we want to be doing, we aren’t paying attention to HOW we are doing it. But, the HOW is more important than the WHAT.
I had a job I loved before becoming a mother. When my 3rd child was born, I became a full-time homemaker. I was no longer recognized or rewarded for the work I was doing. My kids never said “Good job mom! Thanks for waking up so early. Thanks for always doing the dishes, washing our clothes, playing with us, changing our diapers, making all that food and cleaning up our messes.” In spite of this, I asked God for strength and JOY in what I was doing. I wanted to enjoy my kids and my role in motherhood. I wanted to savor these years and keep a grateful heart and a good attitude. I knew God saw me.
I did wonder if I’d even have any marketable skills after taking care of babies for so long. And guess what, when I went back to work, I found that I hadn’t lost the skills I had before parenting. In fact, I was probably more efficient and a little more effective.
Wherever you are…whatever you are doing…approach it with gratitude and the right attitude.
Perhaps you are a full-time mom, wishing you could escape that roll some days. God has you there, ask Him for strength and allow Him to use you.
Perhaps you are a full-time employee, wishing you could quit. God has you there, ask Him for strength and allow Him to use you.
GOD WANTS TO GET INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR EVERYDAY, SOMETIMES BORING LIVES!
You may not be doing WHAT you want to do. But you still need to think about HOW you are approaching what you do.
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
I Peter 3:8
Let’s look at this verse:
For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
Maybe the questions we need to ask ourselves are:
HOW am I working well in my job?
HOW am I living well in my neighborhood?
HOW am I loving well in my marriage?
How am I modeling well in my motherhood?
Maybe for you, a simple exercise is writing down areas that you can improve, with God’s help:
Talk to your spouse about “how” to love or serve him better…
Get feedback from your neighbors, co-workers, or boss on “how” you can be of support to them…
Have your kids write down 3 or 4 things that you can do to help your relationship with them (reading a story, putting away your phone so you can stay engaged, listening better when they are talking about their day, or investing in areas that you see they are gifted in)
Looking at “how” you are living a significant life is a great exercise in self-reflection.
Remember, life is less about WHAT we are doing than HOW we are doing it!
This post was adapted from a sermon my husband gave many years ago when he was a teaching pastor. Thanks for reading!
Review: This is the story of an orphan girl who is a chess genius, but also struggles with addiction. The book takes you on a journey through her life. Highs and lows. Wins and losses. Sobriety and addiction. Friendship and loneliness.
This is one of those RARE occasions that the SHOW was better than the book. Because I do not play chess, it was hard for me to imagine the games as they were described in the book. It was much more enjoyable to watch the games and observe the people and their surroundings. The show was excellent, and if you have Netflix, I recommend that you skip the book and watch the show!
Review: I couldn’t put this book down. It was SO good! It’s the phenomenal story of a boy who survived the Holocaust because he was on ‘Schinder’s list!’ Many holocaust stories are incredibly hard to read, but this one had a string of redemption and hope running through it. I loved this book and think you will too! Easy to read and an excellent book for kids ages 12 and up!
Review: This was written by the co-founder of Pixar. (The company that created so many of those movies we LOVE!) The early parts of the book are a little slow as he introduces himself and the formative parts of his life. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that gave ‘behind the scenes’ stories into several Pixar movies. I also loved his stories about Steve Jobs – the author describes him in a positive light. The book gave insight into how and why Pixar is such a successful organization.
Review: I really enjoyed Seth Haines first book, Coming Clean and was excited to read his second one. This book started so slow that I almost stopped reading, but I’m SOOO glad I didn’t give up on the book. The last few chapters were amazing! The author is a lawyer and I realized he was using the first section of the book to develop his ‘case’ on how to “wake up” to true life. He shares how he began to drink heavily to cover deep pain that he was going through. He shares how many of us use food, social media, alcohol, drugs or shopping to distract us from the pain, keep us from dealing with it and allowing God to heal it.
Seth gives incredibly practical and beautiful steps to truly healing from the pain and living life WIDE AWAKE!
Now that I have a house full of guys who enjoy football, I’ve started watching the actual football game and not just the commercials (though those are fun too!) My favorite commercial is at the end of this post.
During halftime, the boys were playing “flag” football in the family room, and Wrigley joined in the game. It was all fun and games – until Wrigley missed the flag and bit Paul on the side of the leg.
Clark had always dreamed of having a dog that could play football with him, and his dream came true on Super Bowl Sunday!
I was COMPLETELY impressed with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. What a game!
Serving With Our Neighbors
In 2020, my neighbor asked if we’d want to get together for a service projects on a regular basis. Um YES!
This month we met at a local Feed My Starving Children site to pack food for the hungry. It was an amazing experience, and as we were leaving, Clark asked how soon we could come back.
Baby it’s COOOOLLLLDDD outside
We’ve had a fairly mild winter, but February was FUH-REEZING! Though most of the south shuts down when it gets to subzero temps, Minnesotans are almost un-fazed by it.
Since I’m not a true Minnesotan, I prefer to be INSIDE when the weather dips below zero. The boys and I have been playing games like Spoons, Rat-a-tat cat and Skipbo. We’ve also tried a few things from this list.
Our hope is that this video inspires other small acts of kindness. If 1 out of every 100 people who watch this video are inspired to do something kind for someone else – that means more than 30,000 acts of kindness were done!!!
Back to Basketball
Paul playing ball
There was a six week hiatus from sports, but now Paul, Clark, and George are all playing basketball again. They are so fun to watch. Follow me or Ted on instagram to see their best plays.
Back-to-School
Clark, Paul and I joined Luke in going back to school. The three of them are finally in school full time and I’m teaching a couple days each week. Because of Covid, no parents are allowed to have lunch with their kids, but when I’m teaching, I get to eat with my boys! What a treat!
It was TRICKY and HOT teaching with a face shield AND mask. Thankfully, as of last week, shields are no longer required!
Valentine’s Day Fun
“I chews You!” George made this alligator box for Luke
Clark wanted to ‘sWish’ everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day
Paul hopes your Valentine’s Day was a touchdown!
Life with Wrigley
Wrigley is sleeping through night and mostly ringing the bell when he needs to go out. He likes people and playing catch. The boys love him sooo much!
What I’m listening to:
I love Bob Goff and enjoy his podcast. This episode was so inspiring!
What I’m watching:
Has anyone watched this series on Apple TV? It’s so good!
Today’s guest post was written by my friend Mary Nolan. Mary is a West Point Graduate. After college, she defended our country in the Army and even earned a Bronze Star Medal for her heroism while serving oversees. She is now a mom to three and also earning her doctorate in Chinese Medicine.
Mary, take it away…
It was well after dark one night recently as I stood washing the last of the dinner dishes in our finally peaceful home, staring out the window, thinking “Children’s health … yeah, that shouldn’t be too tough!” Ohhh, the logic of a hopefully optimistic, definitely sleep-deprived parent.
I’d say it’s a broad topic, one wrought with a myriad of medical literature, clinical data, cultural influence, and a few emotion-based opinions.
The vaccination debate? Yep – that’s part of it.
Increasing rates of type II diabetes in children? That’s one for Ted Talks.
The merits of good, old-fashioned exercise on the playground? Ok, a bit more palatable for the casual reader.
So, true to the tactics of a mother desperately trying to channel three young children out of the house, I silenced my swarming inner dialogue with a much simpler choice – tea or wine?
Wine won. I sat down with that glass of wine and asked – what is one of the most ardent actions I incorporate daily towards my children’s own health?
Hand washing
I came up with hand washing
Wait – don’t stop reading yet.
Call it the prior U.S. Army Preventive Medicine Officer in me, or just the wisdom (i.e. mental scarring) of parenthood post-family-sick-day, but there is a tendency to overlook simple solutions to many seemingly complex problems.
Hand washing is perhaps the most basic, repeatable public health measure with the greatest impact on community (let alone children’s) health.
Aside from the obvious benefits of reducing exposure to harmful bacteria, hand washing is a perfect example of positive deviance – the idea of building up capabilities people already have rather than introducing something new that requires additional resources. In the case of hand washing, it’s something we can do, often and well, to systematically knock down the plethora of microorganisms that our little ones tend to encounter and then propagate through the family.
Why is hand washing so important? If you’re anything like me, you can almost see (…even feel) little microorganisms colonizing public railings, commercial floors (heck, our own floors!), door handles, restaurant high chairs, toilets (and anything within 3 meters of them …), and nearly anything your child reaches down to grab and says “Look!!” Well many of those microorganisms find their way not only onto your children’s ever-curious, sensory driven hands, but then into their eyes, nose, and most cringe-worthy, their mouths. Hand washing with soap and water can cut that cycle of germ-spreading not just from the source to your child, but from them to their dear siblings, friends, classmates, and YOU. Sure anti-microbial soaps have us all concerned about TOO much protection from bacteria and not enough exercise for our immune systems, but that’s where I say send the kids outside and let them bask in the glory of natural flora. The suns UV rays denature most of what will harm them out there anyway. It’s what tends to lurk indoors and on people and surfaces that leads to those loathsome family sick days.
So what would you say is the best way to implement hand washing into the daily routine? Well, back to those years when I was a Preventive Medicine Officer in the Army, getting thousands of gritty, mission-focused Soldiers to adopt something so mundane meant making it their ticket to the good stuff:
Want to get into the mess hall for chow? Wash your hands.
Want to go back to your unit and hit the rack? Wash your hands.
Want your mail and packages? Wash your hands.
Basically, hand washing stations became checkpoints for all major actions throughout the day, and were especially inevitable around food.
I like to say: “If you think about washing your hands, it’s time to do it.”
“If you think about washing your hands, it’s time to do it.”
That little mantra alone, coupled with the prevalent visual reminders, worked wonders to turn awareness into action.
Now apply all that to the typical child – it may take strapping a mobile sink to them as a front pack to achieve that level of consistency. But luckily, you can employ measures like washing hands every time you come home, or better, every time you leave a public place.
If your children are anything like mine, their hands and mouths make contact no less than 180 times per minute, and we want to minimize how much is transferred between the two in a BIG way – especially in the COVID season!
Make hand washing the first step of setting the table or a prerequisite to opening the fridge for a snack. Spice up the soaps you keep at each sink in your home – my son has been asking to wash his hands since I put an exfoliating soap in the guest bathroom (4 year old boys love some sand)!
So hand washing – a simple tool in your tool box for bolstering children’s health. But you don’t have to take it from me. The Centers for Disease Control sums it with facts like these:
Handwashing:
Reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 31%
Reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21%
Handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia
Handwashing education and access to soap in schools can help improve attendance
Good handwashing early in life may help improve child development in some settings
Handwashing may help improve child development?? Well, sign me up!! I’ll bring the soap!
I loved this article written by my friend Mary and hope you did too. It’s a simple and practical way to stay healthy during this crazy season of our lives.
If you are running low on hand soap, may I suggest you add some to your Amazon cart:
According to the American Heart Association, one in three children in the United States is overweight or obese. Children will carry the eating habits they learn at a young age into their adult years, so it’s important to equip them with the ability to make healthy food choices. What’s more, it’s important to teach your child to make healthy choices in all aspects of their lives, from safety to fitness. Here are some budget-minded strategies that work.
Be a Good Role Model
Parenting, as you well know, means shifting priorities in order to meet the needs of your young loved ones. This may mean fitness goals, education pursuits, career choices, even healthy sleeping habits all get “back burnered” — gladly and without hesitation — in order to make room for children and their needs. But if you find yourself now getting better sleep and with some time on your hands (within reason), then it may be time to pursue that online business degree you’ve always wanted to get back to. It’s never too late to recommit to a goal, especially with flexible schedules and deadlines. It’s one way to model the behavior you expect from your children — making learning a priority throughout life. Plus, it has the potential to help you along in your career pursuits.
Keep Healthy Snacks in the House
You don’t want to deprive your children or yourself of delicious food. However, having a constant store of unhealthy food on tap creates a habitual pattern of eating. Some kids will go looking for it, some will pester you for it, but all will be expecting chocolate, chips, or sugary drinks at some point. Leave these as occasional treats, and when you do choose to enjoy them, buy only what you’ll be eating that day. Don’t buy multipacks or two-for-one offers, and throw out whatever’s left over at the end of the day. Besides, you might be surprised at how tasty — and affordable — a healthy snack can be.
Fruits and nuts, for instance, can be easy on both your wallet and your waistline. And to give your child a sense of ownership over their snacks, allow them to use things like toaster ovens and microwaves to prepare their snacks — with supervision, of course. (Click here for more healthy snack ideas)
Teach Your Kids the Importance of Physical Fitness
It’s often a lot easier to have the kids lose themselves in online activities and video games instead of encouraging them to go outside and get some exercise. However, maintaining a healthy weight involves staying fit, and that means stepping away from technology and finding ways to get moving. For example, if your child likes to play basketball video games, encourage them to take up the sport in real life. And if you need gear, look around online to see where you can pick up used sporting goods.
With a little exploring, you can find places to pick up store returns for a song, or websites like eBay offer both new and used equipment at affordable prices.
Discuss Safety When Home Alone
Are your kids old enough to leave at home while you pop out to the store for something? If so, then you need to discuss the importance of not answering the door when a stranger comes calling. Thankfully, technology allows us to see who’s at our door without setting foot outside.
Most modern-day security systems — even budget-friendly models — allow us to use cameras inside doorbells to safely see who’s on the other side. Discuss the dangers of answering the door for strangers with your children, and teach them how to properly use your home security system for those times when you’re away.
Your Overall Strategy
This is not the time for a firm hand because using pressure and coercion can actually have the opposite effect on eating habits and fitness. Your goal is to encourage your children to make healthy choices, using positive reinforcement, shared experiences, and role modeling.
It will take some time, but eventually, this creates a pattern of behavior that persists even when you’re not there to enforce it. As long as you take your time, plan ahead, and keep a cool head, you can instill healthy habits in your children that will last for a lifetime.
