She had even chosen a topic that had been dear to his heart at the same age – dinosaurs!

Back then, as he had narrated many a time to a spellbound young girl thirsty for knowledge, he loved dinosaurs so much he had wanted to become an archaeologist. His sister even wanted to be a ‘digger lady’ to help him uncover the treasures buried by the sands of time.

Dinosaurs were it. Huge and ferocious, old and mysterious, and some a little dopey (like the Stegosaurus, or modern-day ‘Brother-o-saurus’). Daddy’s pipe cleaner versions of skeletons of ancient monsters such as Triceratops and T-Rex were famous (within the household, alas …), and they were sure to bring gasps of wonder from the assembled throng of Year Twos.

That was until Daddy was called upon unexpectedly to rescue Mr 9’s cricket practice  – cricket practice! – from the work commitments that had enveloped other fathers like the tentacles of a corporate squid.

Daddy wouldn’t be able to fulfil his promise that day, and no explanation of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few was going to cut it. Nor was the idea that we still had the weekend. Kids live in the now, and this was NOW!

As Daddy trudged off with a heavy heart, Mrs Chopped Liver (me) had some thinking to do. I knew that the art of distraction was a time honoured technique that was almost guaranteed results, but sometimes the transformation of a child’s mind from heart-set plans to a new activity wasn’t complete without a little more mental manouvering. Anything less than full focus on my part was fraught with danger, and I wanted to avoid Miss 7-osaurus turning the house into Jurassic Park.

And that’s when inspiration hit.

Spending time with the kids has been my developing mantra for next year, but starting now. However, while quality time and complete focus is one aspect of this (and rich with double-sided rewards), I remembered another technique we had used in the past, which worked beautifully, but which, as all parents know, can get blindsided by life’s demands like any good intention.

Child-centred play is a step up again from a parent giving their child full and undivided attention. The idea is not to ‘instruct’ the child, but to have them direct the play (or activity) completely for periods of 10-30 minutes.

This is harder than it sounds, because there are times when you either don’t feel like partaking in a particular activity, but have to run with it (watching my husband play along with craft-based play is a comedy all of its own). Even more difficult is catching your ‘helpful suggestions’ before they escape from your lips. Zip it! They’re running the show.

While my episode was an impromptu one, the best way to engage in child-directed play is to set a time for it, daily or otherwise. It can be surprisingly difficult to slot in regularly, but just watch them naturally fit into a timetable and crave it! In this way, you are giving your child positive and good-quality attention when you are able, making them less likely to demand it when you can’t.

It’s about stimulating the child’s creativity, sense of autonomy, leadership and teamwork all fused into one. The boost to their self-belief and esteem are quite striking, and who doesn’t want to see their child thinking confidently for themselves, making and rationalising decisions and even calculating the pros and cons of them?

Pretty soon we found ourselves making Orange Poppy Seed Cake, with Miss 7 driving the bus – collecting ingredients, measuring, calculating portions, pouring and stirring (with me adding advice only when asked, and only in a way that made her come up with the answer herself).

The result was a delicious cake that the whole family loved, and which also gave me breathing space for little-lunch snacks for school.

Child-centred play is a positive and rewarding relationship experience for both parents and children, generates a natural warmth and affection, and makes them feel ultra-special. And they kind of are, aren’t they?

Bren x

It’s easy to procrastinate when faced with such endeavours, but it might surprise most to learn that meal planning is quick, it’s easy, and not only will it save you bundles of time, it has a long list of benefits for you and your family. And that’s what’s important, right?

So what are some of these benefits?

Preparation

Very few do a family shop without a list, so take the stress out of your food preparation too. ‘Winging it’ is the road to eating meals that aren’t even meals, but just food thrown together without any love or nutritional consideration. Healthy meals that ooze taste need a little more thought.

Construction & Nutrition

A meal plan naturally forces you to think about your meal construction, highlighting exactly what you are putting into your body in a way last minute decisions can’t. Chances are, if you are planning a week of meals, you will at the very least be dotting your eye fillets and crossing your tahinis!

Proteins, carbohydrates, fluids and fats are the building blocks of a healthy diet, so avoid the Sunday night revelation that you’ve just had a week of one with hardly any of the others. It’s easy to do.

Variety & Creativity

Strange things happen when you prepare! Ideas are born with every meal, and your meal plan can incorporate notes on artistic flourish that your unconscious mind can then stew on for days. Who knows what simple garnish or extravagant marinade will result. Knowing what you want to do actually makes achieving it so much quicker.

Save Time & Money

Time is precious, and we seem to have less of it these days. It therefore makes sense to prepare your pantry and fridge for the week ahead. In one fell swoop you can avoid those extra, last minute (mostly expensive) trips to the local shops. Preparation saves time and money (on petrol, by buying in bulk, and avoiding impulse purchases).

And since you already know what you are going to eat beforehand, and the ingredients required to prepare the meal, the whole process is certain to take less time, every time.

Further, what is the best thing about a hearty, tasty meal? If you said leftovers! then high 5’s all round. Not only can food taste mesmerising the next day, but you can budget for this several times in your meal plan. Or, you can make enough to freeze for later.

Reduce Waste

Knowing your weekly food requirements in advance means that you will have very specific goals when shopping for your ingredients. Buying exactly what you need eliminates waste because every ingredient has a purpose.

Ain’t it amazing how a little thought can be so rewarding?!

How to Meal Plan

The goods news is that meal planning is simple:

1. Decide what you want to eat – mains, snacks and desserts included – and when
2. Cover the essential food groups to deliver a diverse and healthy diet, full of the nutrients the body and immune system need
3. Add a touch of flair and creativity to the plan (hard to resist!)
4. Include ‘off days’ for refrigerated or frozen leftovers
5. Sort out your shopping list
6. Designate a day for batch cooking
7. Relax!

Bren x