Cooking With a High-Needs Toddler

Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in the Kitchen

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking and feeding. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Nowhere else has my mothering evolved quite as much as in the kitchen. Our first year, cooking was disastrous and heartbreaking. In addition to being premature, my son was what Dr. Sears calls a "high needs baby." Cooking while caring for my son was so stressful that I nearly lost my love for the culinary arts altogether. In the second year, I've gone through phases of trial and error, acceptance, compromise, finding balance, and finally being able to involve Munchkin in my cooking. These days, I love preparing wholesome meals and having him work by my side.

Part of Munchkin's profile is a need to be directly involved in whatever I am doing and to do it with me. It's a bit beyond the "normal" level of toddler interest and imitation. His need for connection is intense, demanding, and very real. Without direct involvement or constant undivided attention from me, he quickly becomes a very unhappy camper -- whining, crying, clinging, acting out. If his needs aren't met during the day, he'll save the emotions for nighttime when they bubble up as nightmares.

Tasks like cooking, then, have been a particular challenge for us. Frequent, prolonged interruptions made for burnt, overcooked food, limited menu options, or at best, very awkward cooking experiences. I gave up babywearing in the kitchen early on because it simply wasn't safe with his wiggling and reaching; riding in back wouldn't satisfy him, either. These days he can sometimes entertain himself for a few minutes at a time, but certainly not long enough for me to prepare a meal.

That is, until I found the right equipment. Through my research on Montessori philosophy and practices, I learned about these special stools (e.g. the Learning Tower) that would allow a small child to work safely at counter level. I thought we could really benefit from one because it would allow Munchkin to engage with me directly and participate in kitchen work. He could even have his own cooking project along side me.

Sometimes the universe is good to you and you get a break just when you need one. We found a used Steffy Wood Products I Can Reach step stool  for $50 at a preschool yard sale and it literally changed our lives. We have used it almost every day since then. It's not quite as fancy as the Learning Tower, but it does the trick!

On his stool (or "tooh" as he calls it), Munchkin is safe and at just the right height to work at the kitchen counter or sink. He also enjoys working at a small stand loaded with kitchen activities just for him. For example, I can set him up with a "pouring game" next to me while I chop veggies. I give him dried beans, a spoon and a few containers. He transfers the beans from one container to the other. 

With an extra tray and towel, he can do it with water instead or work at the kitchen sink. 

I also gave him a set of wood vegetables and cutting board for "cutting" alongside me (similar to these from Melissa and Doug, but we found a cheaper set elsewhere) . He could stay focused on either of these tasks, without needing much from me, for up to 10 minutes. Wow! Is that my kid?!

With such a turnaround, I've been able to take the Montessori approach to the next level (for great information and resources, check out Living Montessori Now). Now, I invite Munchkin to participate in my kitchen work. He helps me wash vegetables and measure rice. He helps pour, stir, and sort as part of my prep work. He's not even two years old. Yes, his help is messier, but not as messy as a lonely, upset toddler with a cup of milk in the next room. Yes, it takes longer than cooking by myself, but not nearly as long as it took to cook anything when he was younger or not directly involved. More importantly, we are engaged and connected while we cook. This new system satisfies my need to enjoy preparing something I enjoy eating, and it satisfies his need to be woven into my tasks. Like I said, that stool was life changing!

The other big factor in regaining my love of cooking comes from a transformed attitude that underlies many of the adjustments to becoming a mother. Acceptance. Compromise. Letting go. And a whole lotta patience. Now, I'm aware of our limitations and recognize that many of them are temporary. Today's unbearable need will be tomorrow's forgotten plight. I more readily accept interruptions. I plan better so that we're never rushed to get dinner ready. I'm more flexible with when and how I cook. I'm a lot less perfectionist about the process and the end product. I've learned to welcome new tools, new practices, and new ideas that I might not have used otherwise. Because there are still hard days and there always will be. Being open to creative change makes it possible to get through those rough patches. It's certainly made it possible for me to love cooking again and I dare say Munchkin loves it, too!

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Baking & letting go — Cooking with kids can be a mess. Nadia at Red White & GREEN Mom is learning to relax, be patient, and have fun with the process.
• Family feeding in Child of Mine — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews Ellyn Satter's suggestions for appropriate feeding and points out where her family has problems following through.
• Children with Knives! (And other Kitchen Tools) — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy teaches her children how to safely use knives.
• "Mommy, Can I Help?" — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment writes about how she lets her kiddos help out with cooking, despite her {sometimes} lack of patience!
• Solids the Second Time Around — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts her experiences introducing solids to her second child.
• The Adventure of Toddler Tastebuds — The Accidental Natural Mama shares a few things that helped her daughter develop an adventurous palate.
• A Tradition of Love — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy looks forward to sharing the kitchen traditions passed on from her mom and has already found several ways to involve baby in the kitchen.
• The Very Best Classroom — Alicia C. at McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts reveals how her kitchen is more than a place to make food - it's a classroom!
• Raising Little Chefs — Chef Mike guest posts on Natural Parents Network about how he went from a guy who couldn't cook to a chef who wanted to teach his boys to know how the food we love is made.
• In the Kitchen with my kids — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares a delicious soup recipe that her kids love.
• Papa, the Pancake Artist — Papa's making an incredible breakfast over at Our Mindful Life.
• Kids won't eat salad? Try this one! — Tat at Mum in Search is sharing her children's favourite salad recipe.
• Recipe For a Great Relationship — Cooking with kids is about feeding hearts as well as bellies, writes Hannah at Wild Parenting.
• The Ritual of Mealtimes — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins writes about the significance of mealtimes in her family’s daily rhythm.
• Kid, Meet Food. Food, Kid. — Alburnet at What's Next? panicks about passing on her food "issues" to her offspring.
• Growing Up in the Kitchen — Cassie at There's a Pickle in My Life shares how her son is growing up in the kitchen.
• Harvesting Corn and History — From Kenna at School Garden Year: The kids in the school garden harvest their corn and learn how much history grows in their food.
• My Guiding Principles for Teaching my Child about Food — Tree at Mom Grooves uses these guiding principles to give her daughter a love of good food and an understanding of nutrition as well as to empower her to make the best choices for her body.
• Kitchen Control — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro writes about her struggles to relinquish control in the kitchen to her children.
• Food — Emma at Your Fonder Heart lets her seven month old teach her how to feed a baby.
• Kitchen Fun? — Adrienne at Mommying My Way questions how much fun she can have in a non-functional kitchen, while trying to remain positive about the blessings of cooking for her family.
• Kitchen Adventures — Erica at ChildOrganics shares fun ways to connect with your kids in the kitchen.
• Kids in the Kitchen: Finding the Right Tools — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares some of her favorite child-sized kitchen gadgets and where to find them.
• The Kitchen Classroom — Laura at Authentic Parenting knows that everything your kids want to learn is at the end of the ladle.
• Kids in the Kitchen — Luschka from Diary of a First Child talks about the role of the kitchen in family communication and shares fun kitchen activities for the under two.
• Our Kitchen is an Unschooling Classroom. — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle explores the many ways her kitchen has become a rich environment for learning.
• Montessori-Inspired Food Preparation for Preschoolers — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares lots of resources for using Montessori food preparation activities for young children in the kitchen.
• My Little Healthy Eater — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares her research on what is the best first food for babies, and includes a healthy and yummy breakfast recipe.
• Two Boys and Papa in the Kitchen: Recipe for Disaster? — MudpieMama shares all about her fears, joys and discoveries when the boys and handsome hubby took over the kitchen.
• Food choices, Food treats — Henrietta at Angel Wings and Herb Tea shares her family's relationship with food.
• learning to eat — Catherine at learner mummy reflects on little M's first adventures with food.
• The Night My 7-Year-Old Made Dinner — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares how her 7-year-old daughter surprised everyone by turning what started as an idea to play restaurant into pulling off making supper for her family.
• Cooking With a High-Needs Toddler — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how Montessori-inspired activities and a bit of acceptance have helped her overcome hurdles in cooking while caring for a "high-needs" child.
• Kids in the Kitchen – teaching healthy food choices — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her belief in the importance of getting kids into the kitchen using her favorite cookbook for kids to develop healthy food choices now and hopefully into the future.
• Make Milk, Not War — Tamara at Tea for Three remembers the daily food fights as she struggled to feed a picky eater.
• teaching baby birds about good food. — Sarah at Small Bird on Fire writes about the ways in which her family chooses to gently teach their son how to make wise food decisions.
• 5 Ways to Enhance Your Baby or Young Toddler's Relationship with Food — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares simple ways to give your child a healthy beginning to her lifelong relationship with food.
• Toddler at the Table: 10 Creative Solutions — Moorea at Mamalady shares tips for preventing meal-time power struggles.
• How My Child Takes Responsibility During His Mealtime... — Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy shares how she teaches and encourages her 32 months old son on adopting good manners and responsibilities during his mealtimes...
• Kids in the Kitchen: 6 Tips Plus a Recipe — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares six tips for overcoming some of the the difficulties of cooking with multiple young sous chefs, and a recipe they all can agree on!
• How BLW has made me a better parent — Zoe at Mummykins shares how baby-led weaning has changed her approach to parenting.
• My Budding Chef — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom is no cook but is happy that her daughter has shown an inclination and manages to whip up yummy goodies for their family.
• Kids in the Kitchen: An Activity for Every Age — Gaby from Tmuffin describes how she keeps her kids busy in the kitchen, whether they are one week old or two years old.
• The Phantastically Mutlipurposed Phyllo — Ana at Pandamoly shares how Phyllo is used to create enticing dishes at home! Anything can be made into a Struedel!
• Kitchen Kids — Laura from A Pug in the Kitchen shares her children's most favorite recipe to make, experience and eat.
• Independence vs. Connection in the Kitchen: won't you please get yourself your own snack already? — Lisa at Organic Baby Atlanta wishes her daughter would just go make a mess in the kitchen. But her daughter only wants to do it together.
• Grandma Rose's Kitchen — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter reminisces about her childhood and dreams of filling her kitchen with people, love, noise, and messes.
• Healthy Food Choices for Kids — Jorje offers one way to encourage children to make their own healthy food choices at MommaJorje.com.
• Cooking food to thrive rather than survive — Phoebe at Little Tinker Tales is trying to foster a lifetime of good food habits by teaching her children about the importance of avoiding junk, cooking healthy meals, and learning about the whole food process.
• Evolution of a self-led eater — Sheila at A Gift Universe shares the story of how her son grew from nursing around the clock to eating everything in sight, without her having to push.
• 10 Ways Tiny Helps In The Kitchen — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama explores the ways in which her toddler actively participates in kitchen-related activities.
• The Complexity of Feeding a Child — Feeding children a healthy diet is no straight-forward task, but Lisa at My World Edenwild shares some general guidelines to help your child thrive.
• Lactation Cookies — That Mama Gretchen shares a fun recipe that will benefit both mamas and babies!
• 50 of the Best Books, Websites, & Resources to Inspire Kids in the Kitchen — Need inspiration to get your kids in the kitchen? Dionna at Code Name: Mama rounds up some of the best books and websites that can serve as a source for ideas, recipes, and cooking with littles fun.
• A 4-year-old's smoothie recipe — Jen at Grow With Graces and her son set out to make a smoothie without the usual ingredients. She let him improvise. See how it turned out.
• Independent Food Preparation (My Toddler Can Do That?) — Megan at Montessori Moments shares simple ways for children to prepare their own healthy snacks.
• Follow Your Gut — Amy at Anktangle shares her philosophy about intuitive eating, and how she's trying to foster her son's trust in his own inner wisdom when he feels hungry.
• A TODDLER-STYLE LUNCH + RECIPE — Manic Mrs. Stone photographs how to have messy fun during lunchtime with a helpful toddler.

Let Your Body Do the Shopping

The other day I had some precious time to run errands by myself.  I was exhausted and feeling pretty low. Our whole family had been sick, we were sleep-deprived, Munchkin had been whiny, cranky, over-sensitive and clingy, and I hadn't had much of a break for almost 2 weeks. Self-care had taken a backseat for too long. My reserves were tapped and I needed to nurture myself.

Courtesy art.com

I bought myself some personal supplies that I'd been needing for way too long (did I mention that  I'd neglected self-care?), then felt I wanted to get myself a little something extra. You know, something I didn't need, but something that would pamper me a bit.

I don't eat much junk food, but I do enjoy it, especially as a treat. So I eyed the candy aisle looking for something sweet and delectable, something to soothe my weary soul. There were literally dozens of items to choose from. A few caught my eye, and I even picked up one or two chocolates. Well, bags of chocolate. I realized that I only wanted one, not a whole bag. I just wanted a treat, not diabetes.

Then I slowed down. I fell back into myself, my tired, drained, worn-out self who desperately needed some TLC. I tuned into my body and felt the fatigue, the lingering sadness. Then a question popped into my mind as I examined each possible choice of treat:

"Is that going to make me feel better?"

I searched and searched. Obviously, I was in the wrong store, because the answer was a pervasive NO. I imagined how I would feel after consuming one of those "treats" and my body rejected each and every one. None of those bags of goodies spoke to me with love. None of those sweets had anything nice to say to my body, a body who was listening, watching, and waiting for sustenance.

It's not that I think all junk food is bad all the time, either. I eat ice-cream every Friday night! But good ice-cream, not garbage. The chocolates in that store were just garbage, though, and my body detected it. Thankfully, I was listening.

I left the store without a special treat and went home to enjoy the rest of my short break in silence and solitude. My body relished the peace, the almost foreign quiet. Thank you, I could almost hear it say.

Still wanting to spoil myself,  I grabbed a piece of high-quality, dark chocolate truffle from my own stash. Mmmmm. I savored it along with the last few minutes of solace before the boys came home. 

Doing errands with a toddler: Slowing down to speed things up

Running errands isn't much fun

Recently, I had a big errand-running day with Munchkin. We were out for about 2 hours and made 5 stops. We did it without buying any new toys (and yes, we went through the toy aisle, twice), without treats or "incentives", and without a meltdown or tantrum. Even when we got back home, Munchkin never had his typical post-outing meltdown.

Maybe for some seasoned moms, this is no big thing. For us, it was a big deal. I have to admit, I'm incredibly proud of us! Usually, I can only manage 1, maaaaaybe 2, stops in a single outing before Munchkin comes undone. He gets overstimulated. He gets tired, but never falls asleep away from home. He gets hungry, but is too distracted to eat when we're out and about. He gets disconnected from me because he is so captivated by discovering the world. When we return home, he usually has a breakdown, whining and crying for comfort to soothe all those mixed up feelings.

For me, running errands with a toddler can be tense and stressful. I try to balance my need to complete tasks with his needs, but that doesn't always happen. I feel hurried to get everything done before he gets too tired, hungry, or overwhelmed. Then I really feel the pressure when we get home and he has his meltdown. Since I often have to take him with me, I've been working on making our outings less demanding for both of us.

On the day in question, I must have hit the mark. Maybe Munchkin was just having a really great day. Still, I keep reflecting on what I did to help our errands go so smoothly. Because I definitely want to repeat this pattern!

I gave advance notice of what we were doing next. Munchkin could prepare himself for what was about to happen. It was also a useful way to set a limit ahead of time and to let him know he was included in my plans: this IS what we're doing and you ARE coming, too.

I didn't rush him. I let him take his time exploring the toy aisle, picking up and replacing shampoo bottles, and wandering about the store carrying and kicking a ball through most of it. Funny, it actually took less time this way than trying to persuade him to do these things on my time scale (I'm an in-and-out kind of shopper).

I reconnected with him frequently. Between stops, or when we were getting in and out of the car, I was present and authentic. I talked and listened to Munchkin, gave him hugs, and looked him in the eye as I buckled him in. It was clear that we were doing this errand together.

I made time to sit and have a snack together. I spotted a bench outside one of the shops and I thought it would be a good place to take a break. I always carry snacks with us on outings, but I usually let him eat in the car (you know, to save time, ha!). Eating on the bench was much better. Not only did Munchkin get to refuel his body's needs, he also got some valuable time to connect with me. Now that's what I call efficient shopping!

Overall, it seems that my keys to success were being more patient, being fully present, and staying connected. I might not be able to repeat this every time we run errands, but at least now I have a benchmark. I know that I can do it. I can get stuff done without Munchkin coming undone. All I have to do is slow down and things go a lot faster!

What do your errand days look like? I'd love to hear from you!

It's OK For Parents to Feel, Too

When my son is hurt or in pain, I offer hugs, kisses, and space to cry if he wants to.

When he is angry or frustrated, I help him find safe ways to express himself, like punching the couch instead of hitting himself in the head (oh, toddlers!). Then I guide him to re-center himself by taking deep breaths, for example.

When my son is scared, I figure out what frightened him and then work to either keep him safe from it in the future or show him that it won't hurt him so he won't be afraid of it again.

When my son is happy, I smile and allow him time to enjoy his joy.

When my son has feelings, I want to encourage him to experience them. I want him to know that emotions are not to be feared, that they don't have to overwhelm an experience, and that he is capable of recovering from even the strongest, darkest feelings.  I want him to have the skills and internal resources to express his emotions in healthy ways, without bottling, lashing out, shame, guilt, or resentment. I want him to know that I will love him and be there for him no matter what he feels.

Why, oh why, then, is it so hard to do the same for myself? I'm getting better at it, but I still have a ways to go before I am as consistently gentle with myself as I am with my son.

It seems that as parents -- and especially mothers -- we become so focused on allowing our children emotional expression, yet we deny ourselves the same unconditional love. We are still unable to truly experience our feelings. We over-eat to stuff them. We exercise to run away from them. We busy ourselves with jobs or activities to avoid quiet moments for the soul. We clean the house instead of our hearts. We focus on caring for others instead of ourselves.

This system of parenting won't work. It's too hard to support someone else through intense emotions when you've got unresolved feelings of your own in the way. Eventually, there will be a collapse or a blowout. In fact, I'm pretty sure emotional suppression is what gets in the way of practicing unconditional, mindful parenting each and every moment.

That's certainly the case for myself, anyway.  It's when I literally forget myself that I run into the biggest parenting hurdles. Therefore, I have resolved to use the same (or similar) phrases and actions on myself that I use with my son when I notice strong feelings well up inside of me. I'm going to focus on loving myself unconditionally through my feelings, too.  This make sense when I consider that my son will learn the most about emotional freedom and expression from the way I handle my own. That is, my feelings aren't just OK, they're essential for good parenting.

Are you better at handling your child's emotions than your own? Have you found a way to handle both? Leave a note...I'd love to hear from you!

When Stress Interferes With Mindful Parenting

As part of my journey towards mindful mothering, I've been working on living consciously in spite of stress in my adult life. When things are going well, mindfulness comes naturally. It's easy to let go of thoughts beyond the now as I watch the creative antics of a very silly toddler. But enter turmoil, conflict, "problems" and my thoughts follow those events, trying to catch them, get an answer, find resolution, solve the problem. And peace...well, peace eludes me ever more when I don't give myself a chance to experience it just when I need it most.

The challenge to be mindful  through stress is even harder when I don't have the luxury of time away from my son. Yet that is precisely when I most need to focus on staying present. Absorbing thoughts make me less patient, less attentive, and certainly less fun to be around. My son, like many other kids, picks up on this and will test every limit I set to see if I'm paying attention. This begins the cycle of him acting out and me getting even more flustered and attached to my negative thoughts .

After 18 months, I'm still getting used to this balancing act, but I have a few tools to help me stay present through stressful days. 

Here are some of the things I remind myself to do when stressful thoughts interfere with mindful parenting:

Take a break to just breathe. Sometimes a bit of space is all that's needed to get back to the here and now. Say something to your child like "I need a moment", then go sit down in a comfortable place to do some deep breathing.  After this exercise, be sure to reconnect with your child through a hug, eye contact, or kind words. Repeat as needed!

S--l--o--w    d--o--w--n. Do one thing at a time, paying close attention to your actions, thoughts, words, and feelings.  Avoid judging or evaluating yourself, just notice your own experience.   

Look your child in the eyes when you talk to him. Eye contact and that special look from your little one can be more powerful than any other remedy.

Let go of guilt. If you've been less than your idea of a good parent because you're stressed out, don't succumb to the ubiquitous mommy guilt. It will only prevent you from making lasting, positive changes. Forgive yourself, apologize to your child, decide on changes to make, commit to them, and move on.  

Get some rest. Join your little one when he goes down for a nap. If a nap isn't possible, at least lay down and close your eyes for a few minutes (often just 5 minutes will do). Surprisingly effective...even with a toddler climbing on top!

Get out of the house. Fresh air and a change of scenery can help jar you back to the present moment. Vigorous exercise is also great for dealing with stress. (I love my BOB!)

Chat with a friend. Sometimes sharing with someone else helps "get it off your chest", at least enough that you can put it aside to be truly present with your child. Beware of long conversations, however, that will have the opposite effect!

Put the thoughts on the shelf, along with other items not appropriate for children. Stressful thoughts are a lot like persistent toddlers: they repeat themselves over and over again. To stay present with your child, create boundaries around those thoughts (e.g. "I'll think about this after she goes to bed"). You can even try using the same strategies/phrases you use with your children for boundary setting! 

Give yourself space to feel angry, sad, etc.  It's unhealthy to leave thoughts on the shelf indefinitely. In some cases it may be actually be healthy to share feelings with your child ("I'm feeling sad today") . Just be sure to take the child's own emotional development and needs into account and avoid using a child for emotional support. For adult size thoughts and feelings, you may need time and space away from your child. Find a way to process your emotions through writing, meditation, talking to someone, crying in the shower, screaming in the car (without a child and while parked, of course), whatever. Validate your feelings and honor your experience. This goes a long way toward freeing yourself from invasive thoughts during precious time with your child.

Like I said, these take practice.  Sometimes they work wonders, and other days....I just keep practicing.

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For a short, printable version of these tips, check out my Fridge Lists

What works for you? What do you do to stay present with your child when you're feeling stressed? 

Even a Toddler Can Compromise

I had a breath-through "aha!" moment with Munchkin.  It was particularly encouraging because it happened on one those days of incessant whining, clinging and the repetitive "Mamamamamamama!"

I was trying to cook dinner, an often frustrating endeavor that occurs during the toddler witching hour. Munchkin was fed but still uninterested in occupying himself. Babywearing while cooking had been useless for over a year. Screen time didn't work (yes, I finally gave in to the dreaded screen). Parallel play with his own cookware, no dice.  No, he needed me. NOW. I felt my muscles tighten and my jaw clenched shut. We'd been through this so many times before.  I took a deep breath and fought back the familiar frustration. Can't I do anything for just 5 minutes?!

At one point, he put his hand on my leg. Usually, that makes me nervous when I'm cooking because I'm afraid I'll knock him over when I turn around or reach for something.  Instead of anxiety, however, I got a surprise visit from the gentle acceptance idea fairy.

"Here, come over here and hug my leg," I said as I stirred my saute. Munchkin quickly embraced my thigh and rested his head against the side of my leg. He squeezed me.  I continued stirring with one hand, then reached down with the other to caress his head. The fog-horn wail subsided into a hum. My shoulders loosened and I felt my nerves let go just a bit. We stood that way for a few minutes while I listened to the sizzling garlic and Munchkin's meek drone.  When the saute was done, I turned off the burner and picked him up before he had to ask again.

Yes, my son, we can compromise.

What are your special moments of learning to compromise with your child?