Mothership Meals and Satellite Saucers: Noms de Plume

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Noms de Plume

We have names.

This is Scrambles. She is our mystery chick, because she doesn't look like the other chicks, who are all Brahmas. Scrambles has more wing feathers, scruffier fluff, and no feathers on her legs. She is also a little more advanced than the others. First to scratch, and still the best at it; first to roost, and still has the best balance. We think she's a little smarter than the others. We're hoping she's not a he.

Then there is Monkey, Fancy, Nancy, and Sunset. They all look identical, so I'm not going to introduce them with individual pictures.

They are still cute, and our house is suddenly a very popular destination for a playdate. Four kids coming over today.

Chicks are funny how they like to sleep in their food bowl.

It's really relaxing to sit there and watch them.

3 comments:

Krystal said...: Cute li'l chicks! I hope we're able to get some next year; May 7, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Lindellica said...: I wanted to contact you about scheduling a playfdate, despite my child being years and years younger than your'sn... but then I worried about her ability to handle chicks and so need to postpone until they are slightly less fragile.

They look amazing though, but now I am worried about Scramble. Don't let his name be prophetic, if he is a he!; May 7, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Larissa said...: Krystal, I hope you get your chicks!

Lindellica, they'll basically be grown in a couple weeks, so we don't have long to wait. Come on over! I won't make you go to the Coop first!; May 8, 2009 at 7:01 AM

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The Mothership Method

(Or, how to sit down for dinner with your family without completely losing your mind)

It would be great if kids AND parents wanted boiled chicken and baby carrots every night for dinner. But, too bad, we picky parents want spicy, exotic, fun foods, and our kids want, well, sorta lame foods.
Here's the solution: break it down. Serve the dish deconstructed, and let everyone put their own dish together at the table. Sort of like tapas, or smorgasbord, or tacos. Or how in some parts of China you get a bowl of rice, and everything else is in the middle of the table and you take what you want for your own little bowl of rice. That way everyone gets to eat what they want, parents don't have to nag their kids, and kids get to feels some ownership over their meals. Plus, kids get exposed to the look and taste of the foods you hope they will one day love. But it's not just tacos. You'll be amazed at what can be served with the Mothership Method.

Ten Tips to Get Through Dinner Without Having A Nervous Breakdown

1. Accept That Kids Are Picky. No need to freak out on your cooking ability, or look at your kids like there is something wrong with them. It's called "neo-phobia", and it's just how they are, especially from ages 3-6.

2. Serve Meals Broken Down. Even grown-up meals like coconut curry or linguine with clams can be served in their elements, making them more appealing to kids. Grown ups can assemble their own jumble of deliciousness at their own plate while kids take on the pared-down elements.

3. Push if it Works, But Don't Nag If It Doesn't. Some kids are okay with being expected to taste everything on their plate. Others aren't. I think it's okay to push kids -- but not if you're turning dinner into a battlefield.

4. Suggest a Smell. Smelling a new food is easier than tasting it, and can sometimes provide a kid with the information needed to take that scary first bite. But don't confine smelling to new foods. Smell favorites, too, and help them develop their sense of smell by making a game out of it.

5. Don't Ask "Do You Like It?" Instead, try, "What does this remind you of?" or, "Would your cousins like this?" or, "Does this taste salty or sweet?". Asking if they like it or not gives kids too much power and ends the conversation. Besides, we don't care if they like it! We just want them to keep tasting it until it is familiar.

6. Don't Get Frustrated. Imagine being in Taiwan, or Nairobi, or Rome for the first time. Would you eat everything on the local menu? New foods are scary and gross. Our kids need time to learn about the foods that we eat.

7. No SubstitutionsThis is family dinner, not a diner. You, in all your wisdom, have provided foods that are healthy and delicious and appropriate for your children. There is something on the table for them to eat. Period.

8. No Snacks Before Dinner. This can be the hardest with our hectic schedules and hungry kids. But children who come to the table hungry are more likely to eat than cause trouble.

9. Put Peer Pressure To Your Advantage. School children are more likely to accept new foods if the alpha girls in their group accept them. Swap healthy food ideas on playdates.

10. Involve Your Kids In Cooking, Shopping, and Gardening. The more experience kids have handling and preparing a variety of foods, the more likely they are to eventually accept the foods. (But don't get upset if they help you make a complicated wonderful meal, and then refuse to eat it.)