Belonging: An antidote to troubled times

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and the family.

Parenting Matters #84

By: Catherine Lynch and Glenn Collins

Dear Awesome Parent,

Once again, there’s war in the Middle East. Scenes of death and destruction are all over social. If your kids haven’t seen it yet, you can be sure they will. And even if they don’t talk about it, they’ll be wondering:

• “Am I safe?”

• “Is my family safe”

• “Will bombs come here?”

It can be scary for kids. In all honesty, it’s scary for us adults too. But life moves on. The kids still have to go to school. We still have to go to work, pack the lunches, and do all the things. So how do we do all that when we’re anxious and afraid? How do we help our kids cope with their fears? What’s the antidote to afraid and anxious? A strong sense of belonging and connection with our family. With those we love.

What can you do today, and everyday, that emphasizes belonging? One of the most basic and communal things we all do: prep and eat food together. Preferably, comfort food. Fun food. Finger food.

Here’s a few of our favorite bonding-over-fun-food suggestions to get you started:

• Breakfast for dinner. Loaded pancakes and waffles. Eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. Or whatever your kids’ favorites are. Having breakfast for dinner always feels special. Pro-tip: Let the kids make their own pancakes in fun shapes.

• Homemade personal pizzas. Whether you make your own dough, buy it premade from the store, or just use pita bread, everyone making their own personal pizza just the way they like it is always a surefire winner.

• Summer rolls. Rice or bean vermicelli, matchstick veggies, lettuce, shrimp and ground pork all wrapped in spring roll wrappers (Bánh Tráng Déo). And then dipped in spicy peanut sauce - Yum! Pro-tip: Kids are more likely to eat veggies if they helped prepare them.

• Taco Bar! Soft tortillas or crunchy shells, what’s your family’s favorite? Have all the fixings laid out and let everyone craft their perfect taco. Finger food increases the fun factor 😁

Then what? Extend your togetherness as long as possible. Play a board game. Go for a walk. Make a fire and roast marshmallows. Snuggle together on the couch and watch a fun movie.

These recommendations apply to every day, not just when there’s a war. A strong sense of connection and belonging is the best antidote for your kid’s fear and anxiety whenever bad things are happening in the world.

We can’t make peace happen in the Middle East, but we can intentionally create special time with our family, reinforce our bonds of love, and fortify ourselves - and our kids - to better face all of the bad things the world throws at us.

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Sugar Maple Beauty

Anybody need a dose of beauty to counteract the photos of war you’ve been seeing all week? Yes? Us too. Here you go. This lovely tree graces a local park in our small town.