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LIFE BASICS I TEACH TO MY KIDS
MY KIDS NUTRITION #1
FITNESS: Since I believe what I was taught in Elementary school about nutrition was trash, I created a better "STOP, SLOW-DOWN, GO!" Model for my kids...
- WHY? Because the pyramid and plate is boring and doesn't make sense to me in reality.
There are three types of food you can consume:
- Good food, Okay food, & Bad Food
So why not keep it that simple... Here it is.
Here is a picture of me struggling to understand the basics of life because I had loving and supporting parents growing up, but they didn't teach a thing about the basics of life.
The basics growing up I'm talking about is like nutrition, fitness (body), mind, laundry, hunting, etc. and thank god for internet to teach me these things so well.
Mixed with what they taught me and what I learned through experience here is how I am going to teach my kids knowing they will have a short attention span.
MY KIDS FITNESS #2
FITNESS: Sure, gym class does a good job to run around un-structurally, but what is most important is what you do at home. I learned this the hard way by not having a bed time growing up. I thank all my coaches however growing up that have taught me the importance of stretching and how to move properly to each sport...
and of course the love and support of my parents to get me to at least to the practice and the games.
MY KIDS MINDS #3
LOVE & BUSINESS: I still think people are afraid to talk about mental health being an issue with their kids because they think that kids do such a good enough job distracting themselves from their emotions... and they do, this is bad.
The reality to this "toughen up" era is that it doesn't work. My opinion here is that I think this is why so many people are alcoholics, etc. to numb and distract themselves, because they define themselves with traumatic events. This is not true as time after time kids with trauma are some of the best performing adults.
Working on the tools and tactics will make the strongest stronger. But to keep it simple for my kids I will tell them not to distract themselves from their happy and sad feelings, really slow down and talk about what they feel, and go learn how to be the best and happy-selfs.
I WILL ENCOURAGE SMARTNESS IN WHATEVER WAY THEY WANT TO EXPRESS IT
MY TEENAGE KIDS BONUS TIPS!
BASIC LAUNDRY
Sure your mom or grandma will know better ways to do laundry than this, but if you are like me and your parents would just do it for you until you were 16, then these 7 tips will help you out.
1. READ LABEL ON THE T-SHIRT IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT SHRINKING OR FRAGILE MATERIALS.
2. SORT COLORS BECAUSE YOU WILL TURN SOME WHITES PINK REAL QUICK.
3. SOAP & DETERGENT IS SOMETHING I ALWAYS OVER THOUGHT. UNLESS YOU HAVE ALLERGIES OR ETHICAL SOAP GUIDELINES, THIS IS HARD TO MESS UP.
4. TEMP & CYCLE IS FOR ME THE SAME EVERY-TIME, HOT | COLD, LARGE LOAD, REGULAR PERMANENT PRESS. THIS SEEMS TO DO THE TRICK.
5. UNLOADING THE WASHER IN A TIMELY MANNOR IS IMPORTANT TO AVOID GETTING THAT MILDEW SMELL.
6. PUT CLOTHES INTO DRYER THAT YOU AREN'T AFRAID OF FRAYING OR SHRINKING, OTHERWISE PUT ON A HANGER OUTSIDE.
7. FOLD & HANG... UGH THIS IS THE WORST.
BASIC COOKING
Cooking can be very complex and this can make people stressed out to even begin a meal at home. However, there is a basic starting point for cooking and these are the main (but not all) cooking basic tips.
1. HAVE A DEEP POT FOR NOODLES, SAUCES, FRYING OIL (BE CAREFUL).GET THE WATER OR SAUCE TO A BOIL BUT NOT TOO HIGH. GREAT FOR HARD BOILD EGGS, BOIL HOT DOGS OR BRATS, AND SPAGHETTI AS WELL!
2. STOVE IS A MUST AND CAN EVEN BE ONE OF THOSE PROPANE OUTDOORS ONES. JUST GET THE PAN HOT ENOUGH TO SIZZLE. I PREFER GAS OVER ELECTRIC AS THE FLAME HELPS REGULATE TEMPERATURE BETTER.
3. FRYING PAN IS THE PAN I USE THE MOST (BUT NEVER FOR FRYING IRONICALLY). I ALWAYS START BY HEATING UP OIL OR BUTTER AND PUTTING WHATEVER I WANT HEATED UP IN IT AFTER IT IS HOT ENOUGH.
4. OVEN IS MAINLY FOR BAKING. I TEND TO USE IT MOST FOR STEAKS AFTER I SEAR IT ON THE STOVE, BUT ITS ALSO GOOD FOR PIZZAS, COOKIES, BREADS.
5. THE UTENSIL I USE THE MOST IS A PLASTIC SPATULA THAT HAS A GOOD FLEX TO IT. I ALSO USE TONGS AND STRAINERS, BUT MAINLY THE SPATULA.
6. SAFETY TEMPS ARE CRUCIAL TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE EVEN BEGINNING TO COOK. FOR OBVIOUS REASONS YOU DON'T WANT TO GET YOURSELF SICK.
7. FIRE SAFETY IS ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THEY DO HAPPEN. DON'T LEAVE THE STOVE UNATTENDED AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE ESSENTIALS TO PUT OUT A FIRE IMMEDIATELY BY THE COOKING DEVICES. KNOW WHAT A OIL FIRE IS AND HOW TO PUT THESE OUT, THEY ARE TRICKY.
DOING THE DISHES
One of the most avoided things you do as an adult and that starts the most arguments in a household, you will wish you knew how to do them quicker.
1. RINSING OFF YOUR DISH IS IMPORTANT SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WASH THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN.
2. SCRUBBING YOUR DISHES AFTER YOU EAT IS KEY TO GETTING THINGS OFF THE PLATE WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT SO MUCH ELBOW GREASE INTO IT. IF YOU LET THE STUFF BAKE INTO THE PLATE OR PAN YOU WILL HATE YOUR LIFE.
3. DISH HAND SOAP THAT YOU CAN SQUEEZE ONTO A PLATE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE SOAP YOU USE INSIDE THE MACHINE. FUNNY WHEN IT HAPPENS TO FRIENDS, BUT NOT FUNNY WHEN SUDS POUR OUT OF YOUR DISHWASHER.
4. IF YOUR NOT LAZY, YOU CAN CEAN DISHES GOOD ENOUGH BY HAND. BUT WHEN YOU LOAD THE WASHER MAKE SURE YOU LOAD IT FULL, NOT TO WASTE.
5. USE DISH WASHER SAFE DETERGENT AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
6. I SAY ALWAYS MAKE THE TEMPS AS HOT AS POSSIBLE TO KILL ALL GERMS.
7. PRESS START (SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN) BUT ALSO UNLOAD THE DISH WASHER TO BE A GOOD PERSON.
CAR STUFF
Usually something you will know before driving, but make sure you at least know these things.
1. ALWAYS HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS.
2. KNOW WHAT YOUR CAR TIRE PRESSURE SHOULD BE AND IF YOU SHOULD CHANGE IT FOR THE SEASONAL TEMPERATURE CHANGES.
3. CHECK YOUR OIL WITH THE DIP STICK. MAKE SURE YOUR NOT LEAKING ANY EITHER.
4. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SPARE TIRE IN YOUR CAR JUST IN CASE AND KNOW THE BASICS OF CHANGING ONE.
5. THERE IS SO MANY FLUIDS IN A RUNNING CAR, SO KNOW AT LEAST WHERE THE CAPS ARE TO RE-FILL THEM. USUALLY THE MECHANICS WILL DO THIS FOR FREE, JUST MAKE SURE IT IS DONE.
6. BE WEARY OF COURSE OF REGISTERING YOUR CAR (THE LICENSE PLATE RENEWAL) AND ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID LICENSE ID TO DRIVE.
7. IT IS ALSO ILLEGAL TO NOT HAVE INSURANCE, SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THIS COVERED BEFORE DRIVING ANYWHERE.
BILLS (NOT ALL OF THEM)
This caught be off guard when I first moved out of the house, and you don't want to mess up your credit score.
1. BUDGET YOUR GROCERY AND FOOD EXPENSE.
2. BUDGET YOUR GAS TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE PLACES.
3. BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T AFFORD TO RENT OR PURCHASE. KNOW WHAT OTHER FEES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LIKE HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION FEES AND MORTGAGE INSURANCE.
4. TRY TO MINIMIZE YOUR HOUSE ELECTRIC AND GAS BILL. THE BIGGEST ELECTRIC SUCKERS ARE THE A/C & REFRIGERATOR. THE BIGGEST GAS SUCKERS IS THE OVEN & HEAT.
5. HOME WATER IS FAIRLY AFFORDABLE, BUT TRY TO MINIMIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ALWAYS BUDGET THE DANG SEWER BILL AS WELL.
6. SAVE FOR INVESTMENTS, SIDE HUSTLES, AND RAINY DAYS.
7. ALSO KEEP IN MIND YOUR CREDIT CARD BILLS, CAR LOANS, STUDENT LOANS, ETC.
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