Experiential Learning Cycle

Apr 29 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, One Parents Perspective, Parenting Resources

I’ve been taking the “Nobody’s Perfect” course, through the YMCA and Strong Start. It’s been great to get to discuss parenting issues with other parents, hear their ideas and think about the way I do things. I hope that all the other parents involved would agree, for themselves as well. There was one class, however, that hit the mark particularly well with me: The Experiential Learning Cycle.

Often, when something happens with my kids, I react to what is going on. If it happens again, I look more closely and then if it repeats itself I kind of focus on trying to figure out how to make it go away (especially with bad behaviour) or how to move on from the event. In NP, we were introduced to the Experiential Learning Cycle, which is the process of “noticing: what?”, “relating: so what?” and “applying: now what?” when we are dealing with any experience. It’s something that I kind of do automatically when something happens, but I don’t necessarily look at the experience very deeply. The deep part can sometimes hurt. It can bring up something that you might want to ignore or not acknowledge is affecting your kids. It can be painful. However, the point is that it is important. It is valuable to look more deeply at our kids’ behavours, to really find out “why” they are behaving in such a way and to really examine what the things are that make them them. Sometimes, when I get into the “groove” I forget to examine things as closely.

It’s a good idea to check this out and, when something comes up, to try it out…

It’s a cycle:

1) Experience

2) Noticing: What?

3) Relating: So What?

4) Applying: Now What?

5) Experience

6) Noticing: What?

7) Relating: So What?

8 ) Applying: Now What?

9) Experience

you get the idea…

***

And, the reminders for today…

Don’t forget that you have until tonight to enter the giveaway for a ring sling from LadyBugz Slings ‘n Things.

Also, you have until tonight to enter the giveaway for part of the demonstration Wild About Party Packs Birth-Tea Party Pack.

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"Mush It" – Amish Friendship Bread: Kidz in the Kitchen

Apr 28 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Kidz In The Kitchen

We’ve been baking every ten days, for a while now. Why? Well, I was given a starter bag of Amish Friendship Bread and we are really enjoying it. Have you ever heard of Amish Friendship Bread? Well, it’s basically a few ingredients in a bag (yeast, sugar, milk and flour) that you leave on the counter for a number of days. Most days you just mush the bag… or you get your kids to. However, my advice is that you encourage your kids to do it only while you are watching, otherwise they might throw it down the stairs…. just sayin’… *ahem*

Sometimes you add extra ingredients (flour, sugar and milk), but you spend ten days with the bag and then, at the end of the time you mix other ingredients and make a yummy sweet loaf.

It’s been lots of fun, baking these loaves. They are delicious and sweet and moist and they make a great gift, dessert or tea party snack! There are a number of recipes that you can use to finish off your bread.

Today, I have eight starter bags of Amish Friendship Bread that I would love to share with you! If you are interested in having a loaf to bake with and pass on, just leave me a comment and I will get one to you. Share the love… and friendship.

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Mother's Day Candle Wrap: Tuesday Tutorial

Apr 27 2010

Posted by Guest as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, Kids Can Do It Too

Dawnica Flatt presents these “Tuesday Tutorials.” Dawnica is a Kamloops mom-to-one, an Early Childhood Educator and a Stampin’ Up demonstrator. As well, Dawnica and her husband, Jason, will be starting a cloth diapering service to the families of Kamloops (anticipated start date June 2010).

This is an easy way of making an inexpensive item a little more personalized!

Materials needed:

Strip of patterned paper

Flower Daisies Die or paper flowers

Brad

Small peices of carstock

Scallop Trim Punch Border

Double Sided tape/Glue Stick

Glue dot/foam sticky

1) First take patterned paper and wrap around candle. Secure with double sided tape.

2) Next using dies or punches, cut paper flowers and layer with brad in the center. Put to the side.

3) Stamp greeting on carstock or have child write a greeting. ie ‘mom’, ‘I love U’. Layer on color cardstock and then use scallop trim punch to add elegant border. Trim down if desired.

4) Attach the sentiment to the strip on the candle. Also attach the flower using a foam sticky. And VOILA!

Because Mother’s Day is fast-approaching, I am offering two daytime Open Stamp times this week. (Wed April 28^th & Thurs April 29^th, 9:30-11:30) Children are welcome to come (Elizabeth is bringing her whole crew on Wednesday) as I have a children’s play area set up. This is a chance for people to come and work on your own projects, or buy the craft kit for this idea for only $5 and make it, with help. All materials are included.

I am also offering two classes this week.

Squash/Brag Book: Tuesday April 27^th, 6:30-8:30. Cost is $15 and all materials are included.

Slider Card/Push-Pull Card: Wednesday, April 28^th, 6:30-8:30. Cost is $10. A second card style will also be taught and all materials are included.

Please feel free to let me know how you are enjoying the ideas and what other craft ideas you might like to see.

Don’t forget that you have until Thursday night to enter the giveaway for a ring sling from LadyBugz Slings ‘n Things.

Also, you have until Thursday night to enter the giveaway for part of the demonstration Wild About Party Packs Birth-Tea Party Pack.

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A Perfect Un-Birth-Tea Party: Wild About Party Packs Review

Apr 26 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide, One Parents Perspective, Reviews

I’m a detail girl. I like all the little finishing touches, all the little extras. It sometimes can cause added stress, I will admit it. I like having things “just right”. I’m sure that some of you are like that, too. I like planning birthday parties for my kids and enjoy the little things that get put together. However, I find that after the party is over I am simply exhausted. A few weeks ago, I was given a sample party pack to review, from Wild About Party Packs and was very excited when I got it. It was like a treasure chest – a treasure chest of little details! The kids were climbing over my shoulders trying to peek inside, as though they knew there was something in it for them. We don’t have any birthdays coming up in our family until June, so we decided to use a regular-any-old day and plan an Un-Birth-Tea Party!

So, we did. The kids and I pulled out the items from the Party Pack and oohed and aaahhed over them.

Cutlery, napkins, matching and themed balloons, table cloth, streamers, party ideas, cups, plates, napkins, banner… wow! It was like opening a birthday gift for me, just looking inside the box! As well, the ladies at Wild About Party Packs prepare loot bags for each guest. I was sent a sample loot bag for a boy and one for a girl. My kids were stoked to try them out.

Seeing as I was merely having an un-birthday party with my two little ones, I decided not to use the cutlery, plates and cups, but instead to give them away to one lucky reader to use. I pulled out one of our tea sets and followed some of the suggestions provided by the Wild About Party Packs crew. We had little snacks, fruit, yogurt and star-shaped cucumbers, as well as real tea!! The kids pulled out the loot bags and put their samples to good use.

How cute is that?? The kids are still wearing (well, not this very second, but when they play dress-up) the costume pieces and the candy necklaces (once sampled at our Un-Birth-Tea Party, of course) were the perfect incentive to help my kids clean up their toys on a particularly rough day (*ahem* did I say that?). What loot!

The kids had a delightful time dressing up and tea-partying. The loot bags are a lasting element to our costume trunk and I am thrilled with the suggestions of food, decoration and games that came with the pack. Party planning made easy!

The ladies at Wild About Party Packs generously gave me the Birth-Tea Party Pack to look over and I still have some fantastic elements of it that I didn’t use. The cutlery, cups, plates, napkins, banner, streamers, ballons and other elements are there to be used by one lucky KamloopsParents reader.

As well, Wild About Party Packs is offering a 10% discount to all KamloopsParents.Com readers that use the code “WPP075″ with any purchases before September 1st, 2010. The coupon code can be used on their site.

In order to enter your name into the draw for the 8-piece Birth-Tea Party Pack, go check out the Wild About Party Packs site and tell me which theme you think you would like for your child! Wild About Party Packs goes beyond children’s birthday parties, too. They also prepare for baby showers and bridal showers! A well, they have other options of purchasing just the loot bags or just the theme-ware!!

Looks like a wild party to me, without all the detail stress!!

Don’t forget that you have until Thursday night to enter the giveaway for a ring sling from LadyBugz Slings ‘n Things.

9 Comments

Quesadillas: Kidz in the Kitchen

Apr 21 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Kidz In The Kitchen

My kids love quesadillas. We also make them when we are camping as they are nice and easy to prepare and don’t take a lo of ingredients. We make them with just cheese and we make them with extras (avocado, chicken, etc…) Need a great and reliable quick and simple lunch or even a snack?

You’ll need four tortillas, cream cheese and grated cheese. If you want to add other ingredients, you can grab that as well.

1) Spread a flour tortilla with cream cheese (this is the delicious secret).

2) Put it on med-high heat in a frying pan and cover with grated cheese and top with another tortilla.

3) Cook until golden on both side, or just until your cheese is melted.

4) Cut it up and serve with salsa and sour cream!

We had these for lunch today… but I forgot to take pictures. It’s a good one as the kids can spread the cream cheese or grate the topping cheese to help out!

*** Don’t forget to checkout the free stamping class draw. More information here.

Also, the YogaKids free drop-in giveaway is going on until Thursday night, too!