Dear Parents,
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, my children decided to do some cooking while my husband and I were away on vacation. Prior to our departure, my son took on learning how to use the Barbeque, and it turns out that the kid is quite the grill master. If your children are interested, cooking is one of those things that creates great family memories, and at the same time really serves to build their independence and basic life skills.
Food has always been a big part of our family celebrations, as I imagine it is in most families. Our family really loves to eat and making good food in anticipation of something special is a great way for the family to bond. After traveling and trying different foods from different countries, I am finding myself interested in exploring new recipes to try out. Teens can be engaged in various aspects of the food preparation depending on their level of interest.
In our case, I found the level of interest on a daily basis is minimal, however, when they started thinking about the week ahead and what they wanted to eat in our absence, they became a lot more interested in how to season, what temperature to cook at and how long, etc. We returned to excited stories about what they made, how good it was, etc. Truthfully, though, now that we are back, they are not volunteering to cook, and are looking forward to being cooked for again!
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Teens spend time with extended family
Dear Parents,
On our recent vacation, our 18 and 14 year old children stayed home with my mother, their grandmother. For my Mom, this was hardly a babysitting job, it was just a comfort to have an adult in the house while we were away. Our children took on responsibilities of maintaining the house, and also took on some cooking for their grandmother.
This was an enjoyable experience for all of them. My mom said that she really enjoyed having that time with them, that she was able to spoil them a little more than usual because she had them all to herself, and that she really enjoyed that. The kids also enjoyed being spoiled of course, and the experience certainly strengthened their bond and tie to the extended family.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
On our recent vacation, our 18 and 14 year old children stayed home with my mother, their grandmother. For my Mom, this was hardly a babysitting job, it was just a comfort to have an adult in the house while we were away. Our children took on responsibilities of maintaining the house, and also took on some cooking for their grandmother.
This was an enjoyable experience for all of them. My mom said that she really enjoyed having that time with them, that she was able to spoil them a little more than usual because she had them all to herself, and that she really enjoyed that. The kids also enjoyed being spoiled of course, and the experience certainly strengthened their bond and tie to the extended family.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Vacationing without the kids
Dear Parents,
My husband and I recently enjoyed a vacation without the kids. Our children are 18 and 14, the eldest leaving for college in a few weeks, and the youngest starting high school. The time away was refreshing. We combined business and pleasure, traveling with a group of people who are working on expanding their businesses through internet, marketing and media education and expansion.
In my work with parents I will often talk about the importance of nurturing yourself. I really experienced this on this trip. The time for expanding our horizons through travel and meeting interesting people was invaluable. Spending time as a couple, vs. as a family was really refreshing and enjoyable. I highly recommend an annual vacation as a couple, even if it is just for a short time, like an extended weekend. Most Important lesson for parents... Nurture Yourself!!
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
My husband and I recently enjoyed a vacation without the kids. Our children are 18 and 14, the eldest leaving for college in a few weeks, and the youngest starting high school. The time away was refreshing. We combined business and pleasure, traveling with a group of people who are working on expanding their businesses through internet, marketing and media education and expansion.
In my work with parents I will often talk about the importance of nurturing yourself. I really experienced this on this trip. The time for expanding our horizons through travel and meeting interesting people was invaluable. Spending time as a couple, vs. as a family was really refreshing and enjoyable. I highly recommend an annual vacation as a couple, even if it is just for a short time, like an extended weekend. Most Important lesson for parents... Nurture Yourself!!
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tradgedy in Oslo
Dear Parents,
I have been away for two weeks, and have returned to learn of the tragic killings in Oslo, Norway.
For today, a moment of silence, and blessings to all of the families.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
I have been away for two weeks, and have returned to learn of the tragic killings in Oslo, Norway.
For today, a moment of silence, and blessings to all of the families.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Inexperience with failure
Dear Parents,
An interesting topic was brought up at the university new student orientation. Admissions at good universities have gotten very competitive, and as a result, most of the student body is made up of students who were the top academic performers in their high schools. Many of these students have been straight A students throughout their high school careers, and many of them have little or no experience with failure. Failing a test, struggling to pull up a grade, these concepts are foreign to some of these high performing students. As a result, there is sometimes an enormous amount of stress when they all come together in a university setting, because they aren't the "smartest" anymore.
I think this is an interesting concept to discuss with people of privilege. Being exposed to some adversity, and having to work to overcome it is an important life lesson. It is important for our kids to learn to persevere even when things don't seem to be going in their favor. Sports are a great venue for this lesson, because inevitably you win some and you loose some. Even when our kids perform poorly on a test or an assignment, it can be a great learning opportunity for them to persevere, practice, and to not let "failure" define them or stop them.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
An interesting topic was brought up at the university new student orientation. Admissions at good universities have gotten very competitive, and as a result, most of the student body is made up of students who were the top academic performers in their high schools. Many of these students have been straight A students throughout their high school careers, and many of them have little or no experience with failure. Failing a test, struggling to pull up a grade, these concepts are foreign to some of these high performing students. As a result, there is sometimes an enormous amount of stress when they all come together in a university setting, because they aren't the "smartest" anymore.
I think this is an interesting concept to discuss with people of privilege. Being exposed to some adversity, and having to work to overcome it is an important life lesson. It is important for our kids to learn to persevere even when things don't seem to be going in their favor. Sports are a great venue for this lesson, because inevitably you win some and you loose some. Even when our kids perform poorly on a test or an assignment, it can be a great learning opportunity for them to persevere, practice, and to not let "failure" define them or stop them.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Perspectives on the College Orientation Experience
Dear Parents,
I am sending my first off to college and feeling so sad about it. I met a woman at orientation who was sending off her youngest who happened to be her fifth child. Unlike me who was choking back tears all day, this lovely woman went on excitedly about the new home she and her husband were building. Now that the five are out on their own, they are downsizing and building this fabulous little house out in the country. She was happily telling me about how peaceful it was out there, birds singing and other nature sounds.
Now I have another one who is just starting high school, so I've got a while to go yet. However, I really did appreciate her perspective, and the vision of the fabulous little country house is certainly inspirational!
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
I am sending my first off to college and feeling so sad about it. I met a woman at orientation who was sending off her youngest who happened to be her fifth child. Unlike me who was choking back tears all day, this lovely woman went on excitedly about the new home she and her husband were building. Now that the five are out on their own, they are downsizing and building this fabulous little house out in the country. She was happily telling me about how peaceful it was out there, birds singing and other nature sounds.
Now I have another one who is just starting high school, so I've got a while to go yet. However, I really did appreciate her perspective, and the vision of the fabulous little country house is certainly inspirational!
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sending your first to college
Dear Parents,
I am getting ready to send my oldest to college this fall. The whole process of looking and applying for colleges was overwhelming. It's so much more competitive now than it was when I went to college, and I don't remember it being so involved. I guess I didn't have so many choices, so everything was simpler, and I didn't go away, I lived at home and commuted to school.
I've been attending college orientation sessions for new students (my daughter) and their parents. The experience is one of information overload, trying to find your way around campus, selecting meal plans, dorm room accessories, and so forth. We've met lot's of new people, and my daughter met her new roommate for the first time. It's simultaneously exciting and exhausting. With so much to do and so many decisions to make, it somehow escaped me until just today that she's actually going to be moving out this fall. I didn't expect this sense of sadness, but now that I'm here, I am realizing that the next time we come back, I'm going home without her.
I am totally going to be one of those parents that cries all the way home.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
I am getting ready to send my oldest to college this fall. The whole process of looking and applying for colleges was overwhelming. It's so much more competitive now than it was when I went to college, and I don't remember it being so involved. I guess I didn't have so many choices, so everything was simpler, and I didn't go away, I lived at home and commuted to school.
I've been attending college orientation sessions for new students (my daughter) and their parents. The experience is one of information overload, trying to find your way around campus, selecting meal plans, dorm room accessories, and so forth. We've met lot's of new people, and my daughter met her new roommate for the first time. It's simultaneously exciting and exhausting. With so much to do and so many decisions to make, it somehow escaped me until just today that she's actually going to be moving out this fall. I didn't expect this sense of sadness, but now that I'm here, I am realizing that the next time we come back, I'm going home without her.
I am totally going to be one of those parents that cries all the way home.
To Your Family,
Jane Cabrera
The Parent Success Coach
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