Monday, October 5, 2015

Recipes and perfectionists!

You know you're kids are each going to try to find their way, and most likely we are talking about each looking in an entirely different direction and trying to go there, NOW!  What's interesting for me is watching them trying to grow between kid and teen.  Madison is really in the midst of this, but Sydney is not far behind. 

For Sydney, the problem is that she has huge plans and has determined that she needs to be doing that now.  Trying to get her to stay and the here and now is the plan of the day.  If we can keep her in the now, though planning for tomorrow...then we might be able to ease some of her anxiety.  And the hard part for Sydney...she panics at a B in school....and I have to actually tell her a B is okay.  Who has to do that?  Who has to tell their kid to aim lower?  I mean I don't tell her to aim lower...I just tell her that she has to do her best and then let it go.  It will be what it will be, and if she is unhappy with the result that she and I or her and Dad can spend some time studying what she didn't understand so she can be happier with her next result.  Good Grief! 

As for Madison...she makes me laugh and shake my head at the same time.  She wants to cook some for the family.  I think "Great!"  Have at it.  The problem with Madison is that she is a lot like her mom and wants to use a recipe...great, I got plenty.  Yeah...only some time ago, at one of those wretched Book Fairs at school, one of her parents (And I don't even know which one of us to blame) purchased a Disney cookbook to use with the kids while they were small.  You know, during Kindergarten and first grade...only she holds onto it like it is truly the Holy Grail.  And if she is going to cook for us... it is coming out of that book!  And there are serious consequences if the end result doesn't match the picture in her book because she truly is that much of a perfectionist.  So Dad and Sydney had to get over the fact that their French Toast had powdered sugar on it yesterday morning...butter is truly over-rated anyway.  Her need for perfection is probably best cured by cooking...she needs to know that not everything is going to look perfect, but will taste fantastic anyway.  Turn that into a life lesson for both of them and we might just start making some progress in this house! 

With the Holidays approaching, the girls both have huge plans for their cooking and baking.  There are quite a few recipes Madison wants to use from her book, and Sydney is willing to use the recipes I always use...if she is willing then Madison is likely to follow along.  Who knows, maybe Madison has to complete the whole cookbook before she can let that go and move on to her next one.  Although, I am happy to report that she has been eyeing my tried and true Betty Crocker cookbook too.  :-) 

As for me...I told them to have it...somehow their energy will rub off on me!  And though I know this will be painful, it will only do me good to be in the fitness center every day in order to combat their goodies and my waistline!  Besides, they're kids...they can eat their weight in their own goodies and burn it off with three minutes of thinking!  ;-)  Pretty much a win-win situation!  As for their brother?  He is going to be in the middle of all of it, cutting out cookies, sprinkling everything in his path and doing his part of eating all that mom will allow.  Loud and messy...and delightful!  Sounds like this could quite possibly be the best Holiday season ever!  ;-) 

Have a great Monday! 






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