The perfect cookie recipe to make with the kids.

Peanut Butter Blossoms!

This is another one of my kill three birds with one stone activity.

Unwrapping the kisses is great for fine motor skills. I counted the mixing by hand and ball-rolling as our sensory activity. And it was some yummy Christmas cookie making.

The number of ingredients are so small that no one will get bored or fidgety and you won't get frustrated. Learning to scoop the peanut butter into a measuring cup is good for their little hands to do, too.

So turn on some Christmas music and get baking!

Peanut Butter Blossoms
makes about 18 cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
18 chocolate kisses


Instructions:

1. Mix peanut butter, sugar*, and egg. Have child mix by hand. It's ooey, gooey, and so much fun!
2. Roll into balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
4. While baking (or before you even make the dough) have your child unwrap the kisses. Immediately press them into cookies after removing from oven.
5. Enjoy!

*I like to make this recipe with 1/3 white sugar, 1/3 brown sugar, and 1/3 powdered sugar. Or 1/2 and 1/2 brown and white sugar. So, if you're making this with older kids you can thank me later for the built in lesson on fractions!

Bread in a Bag

 Make yummy homemade bread with your kids and no mess!  Mix up the bread and knead it all in a freezer bag!  I got this idea from "The Waldorf Book of Breads".  I used the recipe in the book, which I will share below, but I don't see why you couldn't do it with any favorite bread recipe.

 Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 package yeast
3 TBS sugar
3 TBS dry milk
1 tsp salt
1 cup hot water
3 TBS oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour

Put the 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, milk and salt in a gallon freezer bag.  Zip close and let your kids shake up the ingredients to mix.  Add water and oil.  Close again and have children squish bags to mix.  Now add last two cups of flour.  Have children mix and knead.  Bread should pull away from sides of bag.  I needed to add a little bit of extra flour to our dough.  Knead 2-4 minutes.  You will have to help younger children a little at this point to work the flour all through the dough.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Remove dough from bag, shape into loaf and put in greased bread pan.  Cover and let rise until double in size.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Makes 1 loaf.

Here is a little snapshot video of this fun activity.  The kids love squishing and shaking, and they especially feel proud of helping make dinner.  The bread was tasty too!

Building REAL Self-Esteem

We all know that it is important for children to feel good about themselves.  However, I think there are right ways, and wrong ways to boost self-esteem. Keep in mind the ultimate goal of raising a child with self-esteem.  For me that goal is raising a child who eventually doesn't need self-esteem boosts from outside sources to understand their self worth.  Self esteem should ultimately come from one's self, not from the approval of others (even your mom).  Our job as parents is to authentically and honestly tell, and show, our children their worth.

Here are some positive ways to build REAL self-esteem.

1 - Focus on positive character traits your child displays, or you want them to have (a little self-fulfilled prophecy never hurt anyone), instead of what your child does. 

For example, today I started telling Jane that she was going to have fun at swimming lessons because she is such a good swimmer.  I thought about the message I was sending; things are fun if you are good at them.  I changed tactics, and the discussion became about how Jane was going to have fun at swimming lessons because she was brave and not afraid to try new things.  In the long run, those traits are more important to focus on than being a good swimmer.

2 - Make your child finish what they start. 

Self esteem is built by working hard and finishing things, even if no winning is involved.  Always finish a season.  Before starting lessons in something decide beforehand exactly how long your child (and you) are willing to commit before quitting is allowed.

3 - Never give praise in the form of comparison. 

 Your child's accomplishments should stand on their own.  Not because they are better than someone else.  Even when your child wins, try and focus on how hard they worked and how all that hard work paid off.  Comparing your child only creates an adult who is continuously comparing themselves to others in an effort to feel good about themselves.

4 - Allow your child to lose, and then have them try again. 

 This is life.  Winning always feels good, but it doesn't always happen.  Teach your children how to lose graciously, pick themselves up, and keep their feelings of self-worth in tact.