Thursday, January 31, 2008

Home Remedy -- Sore Throat

Good day.  It's time for another Home Remedy.    

Sore Throat

  • Mix 1 tsp. lime juice and 1 Tbls. honey. Swallow tiny amounts slowly 2-3 times a day.
  • Mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Yesterday I made pork roast, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and rolls for dinner.  Once again, we fixed Rylies plate and she said "I don't like that" as she pointed at the cut up pork on her plate.  She was reminded that, if she wanted a stamp on her chart, she needed to at least take a bite and try it.

She did after a few minutes of "I don't like it" and "Just take one bite".  Of course, once again, as soon as she took a bite she said "I like it!"  However, we were not successful at getting her to try the sauerkraut.  LOL  I can't say as I blame her, it is something that I didn't develop a taste for until I was older.

Her father even told me that he never used to like it.  Until I made it for him.  He couldn't stand the taste of it.  I add a wee bit of sugar to it though which takes the sour taste down a bit.

I wish I had been this clever and sneaky with the older kids.  Of course, with Christopher I just need to put ketchup on his plate and I'll be danged if he didn't dip almost everything he ate into it.  Of course, when he was little he would always remind me if I forgot to put the ketchup out.  "Mom, I need ketchup for my chicken".  He called all meat, whether it was pork or whatever, chicken.

So once again, "YEA for the chart!"  I finally feel as though I have a leg up on the parenting thing.  Everytime that Rylie and I begin to butt heads I remind her of the chart.  "If you want me to give you a stamp, you need to pick up your toys" or "If you continue to behave like that mommy is going to have to put a sad face on the chart".  It is almost always a quick end to what would have been a battle in the, not too distant, past.

Is it bribery?  Or perhaps manipulation?  I don't know and I'm not really too sure that I care at this time.  All I know is that it is working.  As far as I am concerned, I will use anything that helps me to raise this child with the least amount of "friction" or head butting.  

I feel as though the chart helps to instill a sense of pride in my child.  At the end of the week she can look at the chart and "see" all that she accomplished.  She learns to help us out around the house which is teaching her how to pitch in and be responsible.  She is actually doing something to earn money ($1.50, I think that is age appropriate) every week rather than just being handed money for no reason at all. 

We are also teaching her that you can NOT spend all your money, you have to have savings.  She has to put at least one third of her allowance into her savings account.  She can spend one dollar at the store, if she wants to.  Although, after doing this for 3 weeks, so far all her money has gone into her piggy bank.

I'd like to believe that by doing this Rylie will grow up to be someone who takes pride in working hard.  That she will be responsible with her money.  That someone won't have to ask her for help, she will be one who see's when something needs to be done and she will be one of the first to pitch in because it's the right thing to do.

Hmm, I'm asking a lot of a simple chart, aren't I?  It's not just the chart though.  There is a lot that we, as her parents, need to do to back it all up.  The chart is simply a starting point which will help us to teach her these things.  God, please give us the patience & knowledge we will need to raise this little girl into a strong, independent and responsible young woman.

Movie update-It may take a wee bit longer.  There were a lot of photographs that I couldn't use because of the length of the song that I chose to use.  So I'm thinking about doing another mini-movie at the end of the first one.  I just need to get some pictures from my brothers and then I can get to work on it.        

Have a wonderful day. 
Welcome to any new readers & hugs to all my friends! 

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

funny we were talking of sourkrout at work today

Anonymous said...

As a teen I worked in my dad's restaurant and would get tips.  My parents at first made me put my a percentage into savings.  Soon, I was putting more in than they required.  I saved and bought all the things I wanted: camera, bike, car, etc.  I think it's a good idea to encourage them to save.

Monica