Raising An Internationally Minded Child

Trying different foods is a great way to introduce children to other countries and cultures.

I found this neat list of dishes associated with specific countries. You can look for these at restaurants or get adventurous and google recipes. Try finding recipes you can cook together with your children!

Meat Pie

A meat-filled pie that's sized to fit in your hand for easy eating. Pies can also contain potatos, onions, and mushrooms. On average, each person in Australia eats more than 10 pies a year! Harry's Cafe de Wheels is a meat-pie "truck" that's an institution in Sydney.

Feijoada

A stew consisting of beans, beef, and pork. Feijoada was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese. The stew is eaten with many other side dishes including rice.

Dim Sum

Literally translated, "dim sum" means a little part of the heart! Dim sum consists of small dishes of delicious food such as dumplings, steamed buns filled with meat or sweet pastes, meatballs, and spareribs. Going to dim sum is called "yum cha" or "drinking tea" since tea is always served at dim sum meals.

Kushari

Made up of rice, lentils, and macaroni topped with a sauce consisting of garlic, vinegar and tomatos.

Crêpe

A very thin pancake filled with either sweet or savory fillings and then rolled together. Sweet fillings include fruits, spreads and syrup. Savory fillings include eggs, ham, mushrooms, cheese, and various meats.

Sauerbraten

A pot roast consisting of meat (typically beef) stewed in a liquid mixture of water, vinegar and spices. Often served with potatos, red cabbage, and noodles.

Moussaka

A layered and baked dish that usually consists of eggplant, ground lamb, cheese and a white sauce.

Masala Dosa

A variation of dosa which is a thin pancake made of rice and lentils. A masala dosa is stuffed with potatos, onions, and spices. A very popular dish in South India!

Chelow Kabab

A very popular dish consisting of steamed rice (chelow) and a variety of different types of grilled, roasted or stewed meats.

Pasta

Need we say anything else? Many countries have developed their own versions of Italian pasta including China, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and the Philippines!

Sushi

Raw slices of fish placed on top of a bed of rice vinegar-flavored rice. Typically dipped in soy sauce mixed with a spicy green horseradish paste called wasabi.

Kimchi

A traditional Korean vegetable side dish. There are over 100 different types of kimchi available in Korean cuisine. The different types are characterized by the main vegetable (often napa cabbage), condiments, and the amount of salt and spices used.

Mole Poblano

One of many different types of moles or sauces used in Mexican cooking. Ingredients include: chili peppers, ground nuts, spices, Mexican chocolate, and salt.

Bobotie

Spicy ground meat baked with a topping made with eggs. Sometimes, bobotie can include a curry flavoring, dried fruit, and nuts.

Ms. Candice says: "I have made a vegetarian version of bobotie using soy beans, which are cheap and plentiful in Laos and Thailand."

Helping Children Cope and Comprehend Catastrophe

Our preschoolers have very limited world views. 

When they hear news about frightening world events such as the tsunami in Japan, it is important to remind ourselves how to help our children.

 

The emotional effects of watching such a catastrophe can be tremendous.  Children and teens can feel especially helpless when they see these images of the devastation, including homeless and injured Japanese children and orphans on the news. Kids absorb worry and sadness from their parents, or from classmates who have family ties in Japan.

 

One of the difficulties experienced by parents is that they have not had adequate time to deal with their own reactions when they are called upon to deal with the impact on their children.

 

Emotional reactions vary in nature and severity from child to child. Their responses to a disaster are determined by age, previous experiences, temperament and personality, as well as the immediacy of the disaster to their own lives. 

 

If you know a child who is showing signs of stress, worry or fear that maybe related to the Japanese earthquake and its aftermath - such as stomachaches, sleeplessness, bedwetting, or moodiness - I'd like to offer some ideas about how to help kids comprehend and deal with such a catastrophe.

 

Read this Huffington Post article for:

 

*  Tips to Help a Child Cope

*  How Kids Can Help Japan Right Now

    and

*  How Kids Can Help When The Crisis Has Calmed, But Donations Are Still Needed

 

Turn Off Your Lights, Turn On The Earth

WHAT IS EARTH HOUR?
Earth Hour is driven by the global community’s will to protect the planet we share. Earth Hour’s exponential growth – from a single-city initiative in 2007 to a global movement across 128 countries in 2010 – is indicative of the growing desire for a cleaner, healthier world that is gathering momentum by the hour.  
At 8.30pm on Saturday 26 March 2011, Earth Hour will mark a moment of global contemplation to go beyond the hour; a collective commitment by individuals throughout the world to be the ongoing change they want to see in it.

Earth Hour 2011 will ask the world to:·      
Switch off your lights for Earth Hour at 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March 2011 and celebrate your commitment to the planet with the people of the world·      
Sign up and Share stories of your actions that benefit the planet on earthhour.org <http://www.earthhour.org/> ·     Sustain your actions beyond the hour – www.beyondthehour.org <http://www.beyondthehour.org/>

HOW DO WE INVOLVE OUR CHILDREN?
In a bid to extend the message to young children and their caregivers, the Earth Hour organization has appointed the globally loved animated character Pocoyo as the first Global Kids’ Ambassador of Earth Hour, Beyond the Hour.  Pocoyo will reach out to millions of preschool-aged fans across the globe, fostering “Learning through Laughter,” to inform children about environmental issues.

You can find a fun activity book, promo, screensavers and wallpaper at http://www.pocoyo.com/earth_hour_2011.html



“20 SIMPLE IDEAS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO HELP CHILDREN TO GO “BEYOND THE HOUR”, AND HELP SAVE OUR PLANET!”

Here are some tips for going beyond hour. Big or small, through all our efforts combined, these changes will help make a difference.

Turn off lights and appliances at the wall when not in use            
Explain to children that lights, TV’s and computers use energy, and that it is in short supply!  This is an easy way to reduce wasted energy and carbon. If you switch off just one appliance at the wall you could save 99 pounds of greenhouse gas!  Ask your child if he can imagine what 99 pounds might look like, and show him/her some examples – like twenty 5 pound bags of potatoes!

Stop using plastic containers                  
Explain to your child that every bottle they throw in the trash sits in a big pile at the local dump.  Have your child help you pick out fun, brightly colored refillable or reusable containers.

Make recycling fun!
Make recycling fun by inventing games such as tossing non-breakable recyclable items into trashcans at a short distance!  Use recyclable materials in craft projects, for example use cardboard to make masks, or paper to make airplanes!   Create art projects such as paper mache and mosaics. And donate discarded items to charity!

Have a candlelight family hour!
Once a week, have a candlelight family hour and tell stories or play games instead of watching TV.

Use the sunlight to warm up a room
The house pet knows this and you kids will enjoy it too.  Open blinds and drapes on a sunny but chilly day and enjoy the glorious warmth that pours in through the windows!

Close drapes and blinds when it’s too hot!
In the summer heat, turn down or off the air-conditioner to save energy by teaching children how they can keep from getting hot and sticky by closing the drapes and blinds to keep the room cool.   They will enjoy their playtime better and parents will save money too!


Watch your water use            
Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and of that, two-thirds is frozen in glaciers and polar ice-caps! Teach kids water-wise habits at home at a young age.   Turn off the water while brushing teeth, take shorter showers, and no water-hose fights in hot weather!

Throw a green birthday party            
Kids parties generate a lot of trash. Email invitations; choose reusable kid-friendly cups and plates; and create a craft activity for kids to take something home instead of wasteful goody bags.

Walk more            
Walk to pre-school with your kids!  It’s fun to spend the extra time with your children, great exercise and you save on gas too.

Take public transport when you can            
Buses and trains ease congestion, reduce emissions, and allow you to relax with your kids.  Relax and read a book together instead of driving the car!

Car pool            
Double the efficiency of your car by carpooling to pre-school!


Take a reusable cloth bag when you go shopping – decorate bags with your kids!            
In addition to being manufactured from non-renewable fossil fuels, plastic bags degrade extremely slowly.  Buy a canvas bag, and decorate it with recycled items!
           
Buy local, seasonal produce            
Take the kids for a fun morning out and buy produce at your local market!   Explain how far much of the food you buy has travelled before it reaches your table. Food produced locally costs less to process and transport, and it’s fresher and better for you.

Cut down on meat            
Try to eat a little bit less meat by having the children help you to make one extra vegetarian meal each week.  It takes only about 723 gallons of water to produce 2.2 pounds of wheat, but 3250 gallons of water to produce 2.2 pounds of beef.

Plant natives in the garden            
Enjoy some fresh air with the children in the garden and plant native plants!  Kids might like to have their own miniature size garden box to tend! Use native plants, they require less water, care and maintenance. Plus, you will be creating the ideal conditions to attract native species to your backyard or balcony by creating a habitat for them.

Start a compost            
What kid isn’t fascinated with worms? Create a worm composter!  Almost 75 per cent of household waste is compostable. Composting not only saves landfill space, but recycles material and saves money on fertilizers.  Worms to speed up the process.  Ask the children to fill the composter with food scraps and in a few months, they will see how the “garbage” becomes rich dirt they can help you spread around to make the garden grow.

Grown your own fruit and vegetables            
Watching things grow is exciting!  Reduce your footprint and have your kids help you grow their own veggies. Let them choose seeds, plant and tend them together.  Fresh veggies are good for you and for the earth. No packaging and no food miles!

Install a rainwater tank
See how much rain you can catch!  Secure your own water supply and collect water for use in the garden. Rainwater is free, so parents, that means a reduction in bills too!

Share your tips with friends!
Have a weekly contest with friends to see who did the most to help save the planet!