Jennie Johnston November, 2010

A Celebration of Transformation

Earlier in the year I wrote about celebrating the change from Maiden to Mother with a Blessingway.   This month I wanted to share another new or revitalized tradition that is becoming a part of our culture; the honouring of menarche.  Menarche is derived from two Greek words meaning: moon and beginning and refers to the first menstrual period.  Arguably this transition could be called the step a girl takes from child to maiden.   As pagans we try to celebrate the body in all its functions and this change is so pivotal and yet we often don’t acknowledge it much beyond purchasing the necessary products and passing the Midol.

North American society approaches menstruation with kid gloves or with disdain.  This “time of the month” is not looked at as sacred or introspective but as a nuisance that brings discomfort and pain and removes women from normal, everyday life.  Many women do experience terrible symptoms during this time and those should be taken seriously and not judged either, but how much of these physical symptoms are reflections of our culture’s views?  Would we still feel so sick if we were able to honour what are bodies were doing rather than trying to pretend nothing is happening?

For our daughters, nieces, cousins and granddaughters we have the power to change perceptions around our periods and empower them rather than allow this huge moment in their lives to go unmarked by celebration.

Family covens, circles, family, girlfriends; the type of ritual created to honour that special girl in your life can be elaborate or simple depending on the person’s preference.    There are examples out there of rituals to get ideas from and slowly the internet is starting to present options for women who choose to see the mysteries of their bodies with reverence rather than shame.  Here are some other links for you if you plan on hosting such a party or if you want to plan one for yourself:

Moon Days: Creative Writings about Menstruation

Period: A film about the end of Menstruation

My personal story about my relationship with my period

Menarche Party Ideas

Celebrating Menarche

I am also interested in sharing stories about transformation rituals for boys.  Since their change is more subtle I have not heard of a specific name that is being used to describe this time.  Please email me with any ideas or comments regarding celebrating boy’s transformations or any other comments at: stonegirl1177 AT yahoo DOT ca.

Tags: children, kids, parenting, transformation

• Articles

Miss Dana November, 2010

An Intent of Thanksgiving

Is it just me or do other women dread family gatherings for the holidays?  It is not that we do not love our extended family, it is just that we are not all on the same page concerning life.  You know, life’s big questions like handling money, raising kids and picking spouses.  Oh, and there can also be the really hushed page concerning religion, beliefs, and spirituality.  Bring everyone under one roof and we are ready to throw our hands up and surrender.

I have noticed that with few exceptions most people I know have an eclectic collection of characters within their family.  How we approach a gathering can be the key to sanity.

Intentions.  Remember that word?  I know, it is hard to practice what we preach sometimes.  Never the less, our intentions for any day, sabot or Thursday, is important and powerful.

For November in the States, the gathering of family is imperative.  It is Thanksgiving. And we are going to be thankful, by golly, whether we want to or not!  That is how it feels after four days of cooking and cleaning and juggling money in order to feed that band of people who are always happy to show up and eat but not clean, cook or finance the event.  Is it really just me?

Here is how I plan to weave the intention of the month with the unique strands of family and friends.  I am giving a Gratitude Tea.  A time set aside from the family meal to visit and relax with people I am grateful for being in my life.  A friend, a neighbor, my daughters.  A time to enjoy each other and express what Thanksgiving is all about – gratitude.  As a sign read at a national coffee chain, “Take comfort in rituals.”

The ritual of tea is an old one and full of grace.  A pot of tea, a nibble or two and another person to share a moment of quiet.  For my tea, I will place my intention on gratitude.  There will be a bowl with strips of paper and a pen for writing one or two words of   blessings.  A journal will be at each place setting for listing five things at the end of the day for which we are grateful. For libations, Earl Grey tea is known as the tea of gratitude so it will be offered along with a pomegranate herbal blend.  Candles in votive holders and Celtic music will add peacefulness.  Light finger food with a sweet or two will fill the tablescape.

My family’s intent is for me is to be happy each and everyday.  (If mamma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.)  My intent is to be grateful each and everyday. An intent of thanksgiving.

Tags: children, kids, parenting

• Articles

Miss Dana October, 2010

Autumn

I love the change of seasons, but I must admit that the summer to fall change is my favorite! Maybe living in the South gives the change to cooler days and nights more of a welcome. And I do love the colors!

Bringing autumn inside is easy and free! Beautiful baskets of leaves and nuts, acorns and pinecones. A decorator’s delight! This is also a great time for outdoor play. Mother Earth is rich in decorations and condiments for mud pies and other pretend foods!

Some fun things to do are to make people out of things found. Pinecones, acorn tops seeds and sticks can make some cool creations. Nestle these guardians of the woods under plants, bushes or beside trees. A little clay or glue will hold them together. You can even accessorize them with little strips of cloth for scarves!

Don’t forget pressing beautiful leaves between 2 pieces of wax paper. One year we shaved crayons onto the wax paper with leaves, topped it with a second piece of wax paper and pressed with an iron. What lovely works of art. Tape them to windows, cut into bookmarks or let your child come up with a use.

Seeds are bountiful now. Cover a Styrofoam ball with glue and roll it in a bowl of seeds or even beans. Split green and yellow beans and poppy seeds are just a few ideas. Match the size of the ball to the seed or bean. When dried, fill a bowl or basket with them. Kids love making them and they make nice gifts too.  Build a fairy house of twigs and side it with seeds and beans.  Use cinnamon sticks as the door.

Now is also a natural time to introduce warming food back into our meals. Spices such as cinnamon, chili, paprika as well as soups and stews help our bodies adjust to the change. In our home, granola is replaced by porridge for breakfast and hot chocolate or warm cider in the afternoon instead of cold juice or lemonade.  Helpful hint: The more Vitamin C you can get into your family now the better. That way when the inevitable sniffle season hits, your family will be ready for it. Apple cider and warm applesauce are fun sources, so is raw broccoli and  spinach dip!

Tags: autumn, children, kids, parenting

• Articles

Mama Donna Henes October, 2010

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more.

*Ask Your Mama™

The What, When, Where, Why, How, and Who of

Ceremony & Spirituality

by

©Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman

A Question of Ceremony with Children

Dear Mama Donna,

I am not a follower of the Goddess, but I was walking around in downtown Brooklyn with my six-year-old daughter, Beatrice, when she said to me, “Mommy, I don’t believe in God. I believe in Mother Nature and the fairies in the woods. That’s why I make circles with the rocks.” Clearly she is on a spiritual path and I would like to support her, but I really don’t have the background to show a six-year-old the path to the Goddess.

Ready and Willing, Brooklyn, NY

Dear Ready, Willing, and Able,

Ah, to have had a mom like you when I was six and building altars and shrines in nature! I am deeply impressed with your desire to help Beatrice pursue her own personal spiritual path, without coercion, indoctrination, judgment, or repression. Brava!

Children are natural ceremonialists. They are reverent, practical, organized, open, response-able, and utterly sincere. They are still linked with the infinite profound, and believe in the magical power of tranceformation. They are more than willing to suspend logic and take that crucial leap of faith. They believe.

My fairy goddess daughter and soul sister, Shameike, is my favorite ritual partner. Eleven now, she has spent summers and spring breaks with me ever since she was three. Over the past eight years, we have established quite a roster of rites for special occasions as well as for daily life.

Our most consistent and satisfying one has been “Doing Om” at bedtime. After we read stories or talk, we join our energy and chant together. I sit on her bed and we hold (all four) hands to create a complete circle of the two of us. We close our eyes, center ourselves, breathe deeply, and chant “Om.”

Every night it is different — sometimes our energy carries us longer, sometimes the chant is quite brief. Occasionally, a visiting friend will join our intimate circle. Once in a while, it gets silly and giggly, but more often, we tone until we feel relaxed and peaceful. She usually drifts off to sleep, while I feel revitalized for the rest of my night’s chores.

This has become sacred to us, and we never miss. On her first day back in Exotic Brooklyn last summer after our months-long separation, she asked, “Can we Do Om for a really long time tonight?” This ritual binds us in an unbreakable embrace, which is at once physical and spiritual. It cements our connection as family, and honors the divine union of our eternal soul-selves. We are bound by our breath.

Once we attended a wonderful Passover seder with the extended clan of the Living Theater. At one point during the ceremony, someone started to intone Om. Soon, everybody lent their attention and voice. Shameike slipped her hand into mine and squeezed it in silent affirmation of the years of our shared understanding and experience of Doing Om.

The moon is another great way to link to the Goddess. In most cultures, the moon represents the divine female principle. Luna is the Lady in the Moon. She is the Queen of the Subconscious, the Emotions, the Spirit, and Maternity. She rules creativity and invites our admiration and interaction. Women have always claimed a special relationship with La Madama Madonna Moon.

Kids, too, have a special affinity to the moon and identify it as a friend and companion. Remember the feeling that the moon was following you wherever you went? The first thing Shameike always wants to know when I pick her up in the summer, is when the full moon will be. When she was little, she called it the “whole moon.”

Keep track of the lunar cycles and do something really wonderful together to mark the full and new moons. Treat the new moon like a mini new year, a new beginning. Create an intention for the coming moonth. Make a resolution. Start a joint project. Plan to do something new. Make a wish on the first crescent.

Celebrate the full moon by walking, dancing, drumming, swimming, bathing, sleeping it its bright light. Turn off all your lights, raise the shades, and invite the moon light in. Make shadow puppets. Take a middle-of-the-night field trip to some beautiful place in nature. Get dressed up all in white and take family pictures. Don’t forget to bring snacks!

You might want to say some version of grace at meals, acknowledging the bountiful Earth Goddess for all of the fruits and vegetables from Her belly. Set a beautiful table, light candles, and make pretty food in honor of simply being alive and loving each other. Decorate your house, her room, the windows, the yard, for every holiday and seasonal change.

Since she already seems to be drawn to altars and shrines, you can encourage her to make a very special one for her room where she can  “make offerings” to her own vision of the Goddess of Nature. She will certainly have her own very distinct idea of what that might mean.

Take your cues from your daughter. She still remembers.

xx Mama Donna

Dear Mama Donna.

Can we get together and make a Goddess circle or a Mother Nature Circle or a water circle or an earth circle or an air circle or a fire circle?

Beatrice

Dear Beatrice,

Yes. It would be my honor to do a circle together with you. But you know you can also do a circle whenever you want to all by yourself. Or you can invite your mom or a friend if you feel like sharing. You can sit down with a bowl of water and a bowl of earth. You can ask your mom to help you light some incense to make fire and sweet smelling air.

Keep on making your stone circles. Stones come from the earth. They are like the bones of the body of Mother Earth. Circles are powerful magic. The moon is a circle. The earth is a circle. The year is a circle. People all over the world have made circles out of stone to use like a church or temple for their ceremonies to the Great Goddess.

Why not have your own circle ceremony inside of one of the circles of stones that you have built? You made the circle. You can make the ceremony, too. You can make it any way you want!

Also you can talk to the Goddess any time you want to. You can ask Her for help, or you can just tell Her how you feel about Her. Of course, if She does help you, I’m sure that you will remember your best manners and say “Thank you!”

Whenever you have a question, please write to me and I will answer you.

I send circles of fire, water, earth and sky to bless you.

xxMama Donna

*Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. Send your questions about seasons, cycles, celebrations, ceremonies and spirit to Mama Donna at: CityShaman@aol.com

**************************************************************

Donna Henes is an internationally renowned urban shaman, ritual expert, award-winning author, popular speaker and workshop leader whose joyful celebrations of celestial events have introduced ancient traditional rituals and contemporary ceremonies to millions of people in more than 100 cities since 1972. She has published four books, a CD, an acclaimed Ezine and writes for The Huffington Post, Beliefnet and UPI Religion and Spirituality Forum. Mama Donna, as she is affectionately called, maintains a ceremonial center, spirit shop, ritual practice and consultancy in Exotic Brooklyn, NY where she works with individuals, groups, institutions, municipalities and corporations to create meaningful ceremonies for every imaginable occasion.

www.DonnaHenes.net

www.TheQueenOfMySelf.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Henes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen_of_My_Self

Watch her videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MamaDonnaHenes

Follow her on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/queenmamadonna

Connect with her on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#/donnahenes?ref=profile

Read her on the Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-henes/

Read her on Beliefnet:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/thequeenofmyself/

Tags: ceremony, children

• Advice

Jennie Johnston October, 2010

Parenting our Parents

At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere we are reminded of the slow period of life.  The heat of summer gives way to crisp nights,  leaves fall from the trees and circle our feet and the days get shorter.  As parents we see infinite youth in our children’s eyes, autumn to them is a time for fun, school and heralds the approach of winter celebrations and snow play.

As Samhain approaches I am always reminded of our ancestors and elders.  They are the keepers of the family stories and the example of the autumn and winter phases of life’s circle.  How do we as pagans approach the care of our parents as they age?  What does our culture want to pass on to future generations regarding the respect and care of those who raised us?

Our children embody the spark of youth, ourselves; the determination of early to mid-adulthood when we work hard to provide and establish foundations. Our parents and grandparents are past the stage of building and now rest.  Along with that rest the breakdown of the body sometimes becomes evident, past transgressions begin to catch up and illness can appear.  We become caught in the middle, trying to balance the responsibility of raising little ones and caring for our parents.   Family dynamics that have been established for your entire relationship begin to change.  No longer are you the one needing protection or nurturing from your parent.  Instead you are the provider and the strength for them.

The stress of this can be overwhelming and tiresome.  Distance is also very stressful when you live miles away and the only family member/s that are in the area are forced to take the load of the care.  Many cultures have intergenerational homes in which three or more generations live under one roof.  This arrangement helps the caregiver travel less and hopefully alleviates some of the strain.  Senior care homes are the only option for some.  There is often a solitude for many elders that is difficult and at times they may not be able to care for themselves but have little option for help from the community.

Our culture as a whole is aging.  These types of scenarios will become more and more evident to us.  Families whether those of blood or heart’s choice will be faced with how to navigate the rough waters of illness, aging and the balance of youth and activity with crones and sages and a slower life pace.  For those of us in the middle of these stages the bulk of the work falls into our hands.  We need to search for solutions, delegate responsibility and keep ourselves in balance as much as possible.

This area of thought is very compelling to me.  Are you faced with any of these dilemmas yourself?  Do you have solutions to share with the community?  This territory is certainly not new, but does your pagan path inspire a certain outlook that helps you keep things in perspective?

I intend to investigate this topic further in future articles.  I welcome your feedback or insight.  Our personal stories will hopefully begin a dialogue about how our spiritual paths inform our relationships with our elders and their invaluable contribution to our families.  Please feel free to comment here or send correspondence to stonegirl1177 AT yahoo DOT ca.  Have a blessed Samhain.

Tags: children, kids, parents

• Articles

Jennie Johnston August, 2010

What Parents Can Learn From Angelina Jolie

I stumbled across this article recently and I must admit that I was very encouraged by the comments Angelina Jolie made about her daughter Shiloh’s choice of clothing.

Apparently Shiloh prefers to dress “like a boy” and that has media critics blasting a 4 year old and calling her a transsexual.  While it is beyond shameful to take jabs at a child in such a manner no matter who her parents are I think that Jolie handled the situation with honesty and integrity:

“Children should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way they wish without anybody judging them because it is an important part of their growth. Society always has something to learn when it comes to the way we judge each other, label each other. We have far to go.”

As parents we too often let our child’s behaviour reflect back our own insecurities.     If Jolie was insecure she may have seen Shiloh’s behaviour as reflecting badly on her parenting skills or on her own sexuality.  Instead she makes the choice to see that it is not about her but about self expression and the magic of childhood.

As pagan parents we tend to encourage “dress up” and mystical play.  Children are naturally drawn to worlds of fantasy and if they say “I’m a dragon” or “I’m the fairy of spring,” wouldn’t we encourage that and be delighted?  I have a sneaking suspicion though, that when it comes to our child crossing gender boundaries many of us may start to get a little uncomfortable.  What will the neighbours think?  He will be judged by other children, so for his own good I’ll make him dress masculine.  All girls want to wear pretty dresses and play tea party, what’s wrong with my child?  Our own embarrassment starts to take over our actions and we let society’s silly rules of sugar and spice or puppy dog’s tails influence our parenting.  Instead of unconditional love and space to explore themselves children learn to tow the line, not ruffle feathers and suppress their inner creativity.   That doesn’t sound like a very pagan way of growing up to me.

I realize that it is not as simple as the last paragraph makes it out to be.  There are people out there who are so afraid of gender bending that they become violent.  Our first instinct is to protect our child from harm, so our perception of how others may judge them is an important tool that we need to keep our kid safe.   If you have concerns that your child may be judged or harmed that is something that you need to work through with them.  When they are young you can perhaps encourage them to dress in their special outfits only at home or in a predetermined safe place.  As they grow older you may find that it was a phase that they leave behind them or you may encounter a more serious need within them.  If you do encounter this need I encourage being open minded.  This is your child; they are still whole and wonderful.  There are resources out there for parents to use for support if your child is transgender or confused about their sex.

Within our traditions there are many interpretations of masculine and feminine energies.  Some choose to see the traits in a more black and white sense because it makes them feel safe and ordered.  In my world view though there is a lot of grey area.  We all have male and female traits, energies and tendencies.  When we are children those traits are much less rigid because we have less conditioning.  I do not encourage my son to be masculine or feminine those tendencies are just there for him to act on as he comes across them.

Angelina Jolie is taking the same approach with her daughter Shiloh.  She doesn’t want to judge her daughter and so she is being open to Shiloh’s desires and guiding her towards finding her true self.

Please search out help if you or someone you love is dealing with gender difficulties.  Silence, shame and secrets are not the way to help your child or your family process these complex issues.

The pagan community seems to me to be a perfect example of an arena for openness regarding sexuality and gender.  Being open minded and non-judgemental goes way beyond religion in this day and age and as a burgeoning community we are poised to lead the way towards a healthy relationship with our sexual identities.

TransActive: Supporting children & youth of all genders

Transgender Family Resources

Gender: Gender Roles and Stereotypes

Tags: children, gender, kids, parenting

• Articles

CricketSong August, 2010

Should Children Remain in the Broom Closet?

I am certain that I am raising my children in the way that is most beneficial for them. I believe that children need to be taught spirituality from a young age and it should be the same beliefs that are held in their home; for us that spirituality is Eclectic Wicca. We practice our faith daily and interact openly with other pagans within our community. I am “out of the broom closet” as I run a home based business that is centered around our beliefs. My children are aware of what I do and will speak about “Mommy’s Tarot Reading business” as easily as their peers speak of their parents’ careers. My children do so without exaggeration, without the spectacular descriptions one might expect them to use when describing Hollywood magic. Instead they discuss it in the same terms that they would discuss what a teacher or a doctor does in their respective jobs; for them there is no difference between the magickal and the mundane.

I do not force any spiritual path on my children. It is something that just ‘is’ in our home. Wicca, because of its nature, cannot be forced taught. Unlike many other religions we have no threats to make nor do we have punishments to promise. Our spirituality embraces respect for life and the sacred being that resides within every living creature. In respecting our children’s sacred self, we respect the God/dess. Our beliefs embrace accountability for one’s actions and mistakes however, these things do not make us unlovable to deity. Wicca is a way of living. It is our moral code which incorporates virtues I wish to instill in my children. Virtues such as: balance, creativity, empathy, honesty, modesty, open-mindedness, perseverance and respect.

I encourage my children to be respectful of other’s beliefs and to understand that there is more than one way to worship the God/dess. No one way is ‘the right way’ nor ‘the only way’. Not even our way. Because of this my children will occasionally attend a Christian Service or an Event with their biological father and his girlfriend. My eight year old daughter has attended Sunday school at their Church. I embrace these insistences for they open the door to different points of view for my daughter. After attending she will often ask questions and come to new understandings concerning deity on her own. My twelve year old son will engage in discussion with my husband and me about Jesus Christ after going to a Christian Service. He clearly contemplates new ideas and concepts after a meaningful spiritual conversation with us.

I never want my children to be ashamed of our spiritual path so I do not encourage them to be silent nor do I encourage them to boast. I imagine that some fellow Wiccans might argue against my thoughts quoting the Witch’s Pyramid to “Keep Silent”. While I embrace The Witch’s Pyramid as well, I don’t see this particular tenet applying to our situation. It is my belief that this point of the pentacle discusses: how a witch should never boast or brag about what magicks s/he has done, will think before speaking, will not intentionally harm others with her/his words, will never gossip nor disclose where or what took place inside a Magick Circle. These ideas are important and I teach them to my children as we travel the Wiccan path together however, I do not feel that “keeping silent” about our spirituality benefits them. This doesn’t mean my point of view will never change.

We live on the East Coast in a state that has liberal views when it comes to religion. I haven’t encountered many negative interactions with people when they find out I am Wiccan. Instead I find people are curious and will share bits of information they came across from others asking if it is valid or fiction. I am not afraid of ridicule or bigotry against myself or my children because of our spirituality. I would consider my children to be “out of the broom closet”. My son last year did a school project on Wicca for his social studies class when they covered world religions. He answered questions thoughtfully, intelligently and without fear.

My daughter who attends first grade at the local public elementary school will often have friends over to play. When she is questioned she will comfortably and easily explain what each item on our altar represents or why there are candles and incense burning. She is quick to stop a neighborhood child from stepping on a snail in our yard explaining that it is Mommy’s friend and the Goddess will be unhappy if they were to kill it.

Is our way the correct way for all Wiccan families? No. I would never claim that to be so. Should all children be so open about their spiritual path? The answer to that is for each set of parents to consider. For us, for now … this is what works best. Bright Blessings!

Tags: broom closet, children

• Articles

Jennie Johnston May, 2010

Family Values: Food

If there is one thing that attending festivals, gatherings, rituals whether private or public has taught me about the Pagan community is that: we LOVE food.   We strive to worship this earth, and consume the wonderful bounty that it graces us with.   Nurturing your child’s relationship to food is pivotal in their development.   Food weaves through almost every part of our lives our social relations, our relationship with the earth and our relationship and feelings towards our heath and body.   Eating together whether in ritual or family settings can be so rewarding and fulfilling.   It should be a high priority for every family since we have to eat in order to live and it usually happens at least three times a day.  Our culture has made eating, cooking and growing food into something that needs to be fast and convenient but as Pagans we celebrate with food, we try and be reverent of food, so should we promote this culture of frozen dinners, microwaves and drive-through consumption or should we strive to move in rhythm with the earth, eating seasonally and having a relationship with what we choose to put in our bodies?

Children emulate what they see not what they are told.  So if we tell them the earth is sacred and that the fall bounty is a gift to us and then leave them rarely seeing, let alone consuming a vegetable in its “from the ground state”  what sort of values do you think they’ll develop regarding food?  I would guess that they’d pick a burger and fries over a garden salad and chicken breast any day.  Most children go through a picky eater stage and we can indulge that with letting them only eat jello and drink soda or we can set an example and present them with ways to change their feelings, ideas and interaction with food so that they move past the picky stage with healthy and grounded eating habits.  Below you’ll find ideas for helping your kids (and yourselves) have a positive and reverent attitude towards what you eat.  I’ve included links and hope that you will challenge yourself to make this value one that is fundamental to your family’s present and future.  Don’t worry if you have hiccups or days when the family indulges in some bad habits, no one is perfect and it is hard to completely remove habits that have developed around food.  Just take small steps, introduce different foods slowly and keep trying even if there is resistance.  Habits take a while to break and the more relaxed but dedicated you are the more likely the positive results will start happening.

Grow Your Food

Whether you have a big backyard or a city balcony; grow something with your kids.  Herbs, strawberries, green beans, they are more likely to eat it if they’ve invested time and energy into planting a seed, watering it and watching it grow.

Purchase food at Farmer’s Markets

Besides having a fantastic family atmosphere farmer’s markets allow your child to meet the people growing their food.  This can open up discussions about country living versus city living, taking care of animals and plants, seasonal changes in the earth and it is also a wonderful place to meet your neighbours and participate in the community at large.

Visit Local Farms

Many farms offer a u-pick option which is often not only more economical but a great way to experience your food.  Your child sees the fields, the farmer, the plant in its living state and then gets to pull, pick and harvest the food that you will later eat.

Get Kids Cooking

The whole family should cook together when possible.  Learning to cook is an indispensable skill for your kids it will greatly affect how they think about and interact with their food.  They can set the table, fill the water jug, just get them involved in the process somehow and as they get older they can help more and more.  It is even a good idea to have them help with meal planning so that they see what is involved in the process.

Can & Preserve Foods Together

Another fun activity is to make jams, pickles, or tomato sauce together.  This can be time consuming but you can always make it a more community minded project pooling time and resources with other families.  Your kids will taste the difference in a sauce they made during the summer months and they can feel proud of their part in making food for the family to enjoy together.

Eat as Many Meals Together as Possible

The statistics prove that it makes kids happier and healthier.  And you can really enjoy each other as well as the meal you’ve created together.  Perhaps some activities need to be sacrificed to make it happen but making this a priority in your family will benefit everyone.

Bless the Food and remember its Magic

Taking a moment before you eat to honour the cycle that brought the food to your table will give your children a sense of gratefulness and reverence for the process they participated in.

During your celebrations this spring and summer and throughout the wheel of the year may you and yours eat well, feel well and honour the earth with your choices about food.  I’ve included a few more resources that you and your family may find helpful in making the myriad of decisions around what to consume, how to consume it, and where to find what you are looking for.

Food Inc. the documentary film

Deconstructing Dinner – Food podcast

Tags: children, food, kids, parenting

• Articles

Jennie Johnston March, 2010

Tags: children, parenting

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Jennie Johnston February, 2010

Tags: children, parenting

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