My babbles Archives - Page 3 of 4

Category: My babbles

16
Mar
2015

How do you motivate your kids?

Motivating kids is not an easy task. It takes a lot of patience especially when they are not interested in what they are doing.

Most kids are not aware that education is an important part of their life’s. We cannot blame them, they are kids. As parents it is our task to motivate our kids to study. To keep them focused so that they can grow. Without pushing them too much. Yes, at times parenting can be a tough job.

Listening to our kids is important. What are their thoughts, what are they struggling with? Kids who are demotivated cannot just be motivated overnight. We actually need a happy child so that we can motivate her or him. Or, so that they want to be motivated. Just telling them they have to do homework is not going to motivate children. Explaining them the whys will make your job easier.

Explaining the whys to older children can be done over a cup of hot cocoa and cookies. Sit down with your child and ask them what their goals are? What do they want to do in the future. Explain to your child that school is important if they want to achieve their goals. Let them know that you are there for them when they face difficulties doing their homework. That you want to help them. Comfort your child with your words. Let them know that they are not alone, that you as a parent want your child to succeed. Let them know that you want to help them whenever they are struggling with school. But at the same time you have to let them know that they have to do the actual work. They have to take action.

If you as a parent are having difficulties to help your child with homework you need to solve that problem. If for instance fractions are difficult to you, you need to learn it. YouTube has some great tutorials on math. Like this one:

Or you could ask a friend, relative or any other person whom you trust (and who understands the subject, this goes without saying) to help your child with their homework.

When your child doesn’t get it, by any means do not call your child stupid. For a child it is important that their parent have faith in them. Remember, practice makes perfect.

How do you motivate your kids?

13
Feb
2015

How many empty calories did you had?

categories: Food, Food Pictures, My babbles, Tips

Did you had any empty calories this week? You might have…..

Empty calories are calories which supply little or no nutritional value. A few examples of empty calories are candy bars, cookies, a hot steaming caramel macchiato, a blueberry muffin, potato chips, sodas. All the yummy stuff people crave for (most people) when the days are getting colder, when you are having (or going to have) your period, when you are bored……….

Should we ban foods with empty calories then? The question is, how often and how many empty calories do you consume. If you are having empty calories on a regular base it might be time for some change. By the way empty calories have another side effect most of them are bad for your teeth. Did you know that a Kit Kat of 43 grams contains about 220 calories and a Snickers bar of 57 gram contains about 273 calories. A Grande Caramel Macchiato contains about 240 calories. And a large blueberry muffin contains approximately 385 calories?

You might be consuming empty calories without even being aware of it. Why not substitute those empty calories for nutrient-dense foods. (This is the opposite of empty calories.) Here is a list of nutrient dense foods:

Dry fruits such as dates, prunes, cranberries, raisins, apples, apricots
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pistachio, cashew (have a handful)
Carrot sticks
Any Fruit: apple, banana , pineapple, mango, pears, kiwis
Rice cakes
Instead of soda have some water with lime and mint leaves
Instead of a fancy coffee have black coffee or coffee with skimmed milk with sugar (in moderation!) or sweetener
Hot steaming tea with fresh mint leaves
Homemade salted popcorn with NO butter (read: no microwave popcorn)
A small piece of dark chocolate
Fresh fruits with a little dot of whipped cream
(Vegan) Yoghurt with some muesli and fresh fruits
What would you recommend?

Have empty calories once in a while but remember in MODERATION is the keyword.

What is in moderation according to you?

06
Feb
2015

Do you have time for personal development?

categories: Get organized, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

Name at least one skill you would like to develop.

We all have skills we would like to develop. Whether is it learning a language, learning how to bake, how to do presentations or maybe even an crochet class. These are only a few examples of the many skills we can develop.

Personal development is an important part of our life. Many people think about it and only a few take action. Then there are those who want to but have no time. Everyday life is hectic. Work, mortgages, family, kids, the gym…..

I myself wanted to learn how to crochet. And NO, crochet isn’t just for old ladies! Since I did not had time (and I did not feel like leaving the comfort of my own home, to be frank) to join a crochet class I learned to crochet by watching YouTube tutorials. I can now crochet blankets, shawls and am currently working on a clutch.

Time. If we don’t have time to develop ourselves we should do something about it. How busy is our daily schedule really? We need to find out. The best thing to do is write down what we really do on a daily basis. Don’t forget to write down how much time you spent on work, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, surfing the internet, watching TV, games, folding laundry, doing dishes, cooking, helping the kids with their homework, household chores, commuting and so on. Once you have written everything down it is time to “sacrifice”. (Hmmm, now you know what your daily schedule really looks like).

Which activity would you “sacrifice” to develop yourself, to learn or improve a new skill? Please note: you do not have to sacrifice hours of your time. Half an hour or an hour, 3 times a week works. Let’s say, your “sacrificing” half an hour, surfing on the internet time for learning French. How and when are you going to do that? Are you going to follow a course on the internet, are you downloading an App, will you hire a teacher….? Once you have determined the “how and when you are going to do it” it is time to take action! Block your calendar and now it is all comes down to discipline, willpower and how much you really want it.

What skill would you like to develop? Please leave a comment.

22
Jan
2015

Maharadja’s eczema caused by a food allergy

categories: family, Food, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

My little Maharadja eczema was caused by milk and the additives in our food.

Just before Maharadja turned two we went on a holiday to dream destination Mauritius. We booked our accommodation and trips thru Island Explorer & Tours (www.islandexplorertours.com), I highly recommend them :-).

During the holidays Maharadja had milk for breakfast which he gulped down much to my surprise. At home he did not want to drink any milk. I was one happy mom. Because they say milk is healthy, right? I was wondering why he did drink the Mauritian milk and hated the milk at home. I took a small sip and tasted the milk, it was sweeter then what he got at home. Now I understood why he drank the milk without any tantrums.

At the end of our holidays he started to scratch severely . But there were no sign of eczema. When we got home the eczema appeared. He started to scratch but little did we knew that the dairy, sugar and food additives were the culprits. So I kept feeding little Maharadja cheese and yoghurt drinks, which he loved.

We took our Maharadja to the doctors. They prescribed him hormone creams. Since these creams have many side effects I refused to use them for my two year old. I am surprised that doctors are not interested in what causes the eczema.

I tried every cream and gel on the market. I walked into every store which sold creams to find a solution. And I tried a lot of creams and oils. Maharadja turned 3 and I was searching the internet for a solution. Meanwhile I did find out that if he had sugars and foods with additives (like a stock cube which contains MSG or a juice with additives or sugars or both) he started to scratch right away. So these foods were banned. I also introduced spelt bread into his and our diet. I used and still use hemp oil and coconut oil and neutral crème the doctor prescribed. Maharadjas clothes were and still are washed with a perfume free detergent. We also got him perfume free soap. Then right after his 4^th birthday I found the culprit by accident. One night I was watching some videos on YouTube about eczema. By accident I stumbled upon a documentary about eczema and allergies. There was this one boy who had a dairy allergy and severe eczema. Once these foods were removed from his diet the eczema started to disappear. The next morning I removed all dairy products from his diet and in the next few days, he stopped scratching! We were so happy for our Maharadja. He slept through the night. Usually he woke up because he was itchy. We told our Maharadja that he cannot have any dairy products due to his allergy and he understands now.

By accident we found out that my Maharadja can have sheep cheese. So he is one happy Maharadja because he just loves cheese soo much! He is a real Dutch boy ;-)!

Cookies and cakes I make myself. When I go to a birthday party I make a cake for my Maharadja and take it along. For his 5^th birthday I made dairy free muffins which the kids could decorate. I found out that he can have chocolate as long as it is 72%. White bread is a no-no and so is white flour. Sodas are also a no-no. Maharadja drinks water and 100% apple juice. He can have real butter. The culprit is the milk protein in dairy products. If you have a good brand of butter there are hardly any or no milk proteins in it. I buy organic food as much as I can. I do read the labels because some organic products contain milk protein or even palm oil! I am one lucky lady, I buy organic flour at an authentic Dutch mill. I bake pancakes with coconut milk or almond milk.

The eczema is disappearing now, Maharadjas skin has to heal over time.

Do you have any experience with eczema?

18
Jan
2015

How to get tasks done

categories: family, Get organized, My babbles, Uncategorized

We all have tasks to do. Some are easy and a necessity (unloading the dishwasher). Some are fun(baking a cake for your grandma’s birthday party or crochet a scarf) and some tasks are somewhat more difficult (writing an essay). Some people do their tasks immediately without any postponement. And then there are those who postpone them. Tomorrow . And when tomorrow is there , tomorrow or next weekend. Does this sound familiar?

Why do we postpone our tasks? The answer is simple. Because we just don’t feel like doing them (now or ever). Not only the tasks around the house are being postponed. Work related tasks are also being postponed. That dreadful presentation you have to write, paperwork that needs to be filed or _____ fill in the blank.

Let’s face it. We will never like doing certain tasks. We just have to them. When your garage is all piled up with boxes you have two options. You can leave the boxes forever in your garage or you can start now and organize your garage. Once the task is done you will feel better. One task you don’t have to think about anymore. Moreover it declutters your mind.

Same goes for work related tasks. Do not postpone, it will cause stress when the deadline is there. So why put yourself into that situation? Or are you one of those people who like to work under pressure?
You are aware that stress can lead to health issues right?

How to get tasks done whether is it work related or personal related. Make a to do-list. A personal to do list and a work related to do list. Write down the most 5 most important to do’s and start doing them. Please note: By just writing them down they aren’t done, you really have to take action. If you have the urge to do a task, do it right away. Because within a few minutes the “I don’t feel like doing it” will crawl into your mind. With the end result that nothing has been done. And will be done for a long time.

Are you one of those people who think that making notes in a notebook is ancient. There are lots of Apps you could download like Evernote, Springpad, Simple and the list goes on.

What is on your to do-list?

11
Jan
2015

What happened to your New Year’s resolution?

categories: My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized, Working out

Did you had any? Did you chuck them in the bin or are you sticking to your New Year’s resolution? If you did chuck them in the bin. What was the reason? Was it too hard to stick to them?

Making changes to your lifestyle is challenging. Changing your lifestyle will not just happen overnight. It will take time.

It actually comes down to how much you really want it, the change.

My New Year’s resolution is to shed the extra weight I gained during the Holidays. I ate in moderation but did not work out. (Too much calories + no work out = gaining weight. ) In my opinion the best way to tackle the weight resolution is too start right away. After the holidays (which was January 5^th for me) I started with banning all the food which contained sugars and fats. I substituted them for lots of fruits, veggies, tea, water, low calorie sandwiches and a proper meal. For me a proper meal is important. It satisfies me and keeps me from snacking. Sometimes I have a rice cracker or some fruits if I really crave for something more. The first few days are always the hardest. Your body has to adjust to your eating habits. So don’t give up! It is all about willpower. And it doesn’t mean you can’t have any snacks. Learn how to make healthy snacks or desserts. Ever tried baked banana with cinnamon and honey? How much do you really want it, the change?

Exercising of is good for the body and the mind. For a workout you really don’t have to go to the gym. You could easily do it at home. If you have discipline that is. You could go for a walk or a ride on your bike. You could go for a walk on the treadmill or for a bike ride on your bike trainer. In the comfort of your own home in front of your own TV.

Even for Pilates classes you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home. YouTube is a great channel to follow classes of any kind (Zumba, Insanity, Yoga et cetera) . I just love the videos from Cassey. Her YouTube channel is named Blogilates. I have my own personal trainer in the comfort of my own home.

So pick up your New Year’s resolution whatever that might be and remember it is about how bad you really want it.

Just so you know: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

06
Jan
2015

Can we entertain our kids with no technology?

categories: family, Kids, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

When we were younger we did not have tablets, iPads, Playstations, Xboxes, Nintendo’s. And still we were not bored and we were able to entertain ourselves.

It is winter and it is getting colder outside. My little Maharadja does not want to play outside. It is too cold he told me the other day. There are a lot of activities kids can do during the cold winter months. They don’t need to go outside and no TV, tablet, IPad and so on are involved! Yes, we can entertain our kids with no technology.

Coloring

Almost all kids love to color. And it is such an easy activity to set up. All you need is a coloring book and pencils. You don’t have any coloring books? Google for free coloring pages or buy some cheap coloring books at stores like Dollar store, Action. Where do you buy your coloring books. Please share your tips with us.

Playing with Lego or Wooden Blocks

My little one loves to build, with Lego, Wooden Blocks or Kapla. It is a great way for kids to use their imagination. If they are clueless what to build, give them some tips what to build. An house, aircraft or…. The options are endless.

Moon Sand

It is winter and the kids can build sand castles. What more joy can they have? It is easy to make Moon Sand. Don’t rush to the toy store to buy any. You might need to rush to the grocery store. The recipe for Moon Sand is as follows:

8 cups of flour

1 cup of oil.

Mix these Ingredients and voila you have Moon Sand!

Give the kid some plastic cups and let them build castles.

Painting

Get some paint, brushes and paper and let the little artist start.

Bake something

Baking is always a hit with kids. Ask them in advance what they want to bake. Search for an easy recipe on the internet. Let them help you weigh the ingredients, mix the batter and help you clean up.

Salt dough

Make some salt dough with 1 cup salt, 1 cup flour and 0.5 cup water. The kids could make shapes using cookie cutters. If you don’t have cookie cutters you could use plastic cups. They could make Christmas, Easter, Divali, ____Ornaments. Bake them on 200 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. The next day the kids could paint the ornaments. Or you can make the ornaments in advance and have the kids paint them.

100 cup challenge

Buy cups at a dollar store and have the kids make a tower cup.

Indoor camping

Kids just love the idea of camping. If you have a small tent put it up. No tent? Just throw a sheet over your kitchen table and the tent is ready. (if you don’t want to put up the tent this is an excellent alternative!). Let the kids pack the things they want to take with them for their camping trip. Give the kids a picnic basket to enjoy their camping. If you really want to, let them sleep in the tent!

Playdough

Which kids doesn’t love to play with Playdough? What fun it is, to build a zoo or a fruit basket with good old fashioned playdough. Let the kids imagination go wild!

Making Greeting Cards

Start with folding a colored piece of paper in half and let the kids start decorating. There are many ways to decorate Greeting Cards. The kids could decorate them with glitter, ribbon, stickers, colored paper, fabric. In short there are many option to decorate Greeting cards.

There are many more options to entertain our kids without technology. These are just a few. How do you entertain your kids?

11
Dec
2014

5 Easy dishes to cook when you don’t feel like cooking

categories: Food, Food Pictures, My babbles, Uncategorized

Sometimes we just don’t feel like cooking. Are you familiar with this feeling? We-just-don’t-feel -like-cooking-dinner. We don’t want any take-out either or go out for dinner. And we want to eat something healthy. That leaves us only one option. If we want to have a proper dinner we have to cook it ourselves. Yes, it is possible to cook a proper dinner in less than 20 minutes. Ask your family members to give you a hand since you are already in a lazy mood.

5 Easy dishes to cook when you don’t feel like cooking at all. These dishes come in handy when you don’t have time to cook.

Fried rice

Fried rice is real simple recipe to make. It only takes a few ingredients. The best part is you can add (almost) any ingredient you like to this dish. Make it the way you like it.

Ingredients:
Rice, eggs, vegetables of your choice, oil, salt, white pepper (or black if you don’t have white).

Directions:
Cook some rice and let it cool.
Heat up a pan or a wok. Add some oil to the pan and make scrambled eggs. Don’t forget to season them. Take them out.
In the same pan add some oil stir fry your veggies and season with some salt and pepper. Take the vegetables out.
Time to assemble the dish.
In the same pan, heat some oil. Add the rice, the eggs and vegetables and stir fry. If you like you could add some soy sauce at the end.

Pasta salad with tuna and tomatoes

Pasta dishes are easy to make. And they really fill you up.

Ingredients:
Cooked pasta, tuna, tomatoes, salt and pepper

Directions
Mix the pasta, tuna and tomatoes together. Season with some salt and pepper. Add some fresh basil or grated cheese if you have any. This dish can be served hot or cold.

Salad with your choice of canned fish

Ingredients:
Salad, cucumbers, tin of corn, grated carrots, boiled eggs and homemade dressing

Grab a bowl combine all ingredients, season, add dressing and enjoy!

For an easy homemade dressing try this recipe.

Fried or boiled egg sandwich

Ingredients:
Eggs, bread, tomatoes, mayonnaise

Method:
Fry or boil the eggs and make sandwiches. Spread the slices lightly with some mayonnaise add the egg, sliced tomatoes and seasoning.

Homemade noodle soup

Ingredients:

Noodles (soba or any kind you like), (organic) chicken cube, green onions.

Make the chicken broth. If you like you could use a vegetable cube. Season it with some pepper. Add some cooked noodles of your choice. If you’re in the mood boil an egg and add it to the soup. Add Some finely chopped green onions and your meal is ready.

Make these recipes the way you like it. Add or omit any ingredient(s).

What do you cook when you don’t feel like cooking. Please let me know!

02
Dec
2014

How to “prepare” your body for the Holiday Season

categories: Food, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized, Working out

The Holiday Season is all about joy, fun lots of laughter and of course love. Spending time with our family, friends and our beloved ones. And…… lots of yummy foods which we should absolutely enjoy, in moderation that is. One cookie is yummy, two cookies are super yummy and three cookies are a no-no. In moderation a word we should remember especially during the holiday season. We should absolutely sample all dishes. After all the cook did his/her utmost best to cook you a lovely Christmas dinner. It would be an insult to the cook if you did not sample all dishes.

Lots of people go on a diet to prepare themselves for the Holiday Season. Losing a few pounds, to fit into that nice dress or to enjoy all the food during the Holiday Season. Atkins, low carb, South Beach, Cambridge and so on.

The truth is we don’t want to go on any kind of diet. And we really don’t need to. Try to change your eating habits by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet now. We all know that fruits and vegetables are healthy for us. They contain vitamins and lots of fibers. The good part is that they fill you up. So next time you have a food craving go for some fruits or vegetables. And (try) to squeeze in a work out for 30 minutes. Keep in mind, it is for a good cause. That extra piece of pie, some more turkey or …..

Prepare your body now so you can indulge during the Holiday Season, in moderation that is. With your family, friends, beloved ones and food.

Happy preparing!

04
Nov
2014

Ignoring yourself? It’s time for me time.

categories: Hair, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

Do you allow yourself 7 minutes “me time” every day? Me time? I don’t have time for me time. I don’t need me time. These are a few random answers given to this question.

There is so much going on in our life’s. That we just forget to look after ourselves. All the other things in our life are so much more important. The kids, work, household, the garden, TV et cetera. Most of us are so occupied with that we just ignore ourselves. Ignore? Yes, dress without a second thought, comb ones hair and start the day. That is ignoring yourself. Did you know that ignorance can lead to unhappiness. Unhappiness can have many “side effects” like not knowing how beautiful you are, eating disorders, not wanting to look into the mirror because you don’t like what you see. Therefore “me time” even if we are so super busy is important.

Do you just throw some clothes on in the morning? Quickly brush your hair and rush to whatever you have to do? Would you like to change that? Then please keep reading.

First step. Get yourself a great haircut. Browse on the internet for inspiration. Ask your hairdresser what style would look good on you. What hairstyles do women around you have? You don’t have a hairdresser? Ask your friends or relatives which salon they go to. Once you’re at the salon tell the hairdresser (or should I say stylist) what kind of haircut you would like. Make sure you get a low maintenance haircut. A great haircut is just a start.

Second step. Now it’s time to declutter your closet. Get everything out and sort everything out. Make a pile of the clothes you would like to donate. Then sort all the skirts, trousers, jeans, t shirts, cardigans et cetera. Once this is done it is time to mix and match. For example, which skirt goes with what top(s) shirt(s). Make notes in your head or take pictures.

Third step. You already have a nice face. Yes, because everybody is beautiful in their own way! So why don’t we put on a little make-up. Make-up is a bonus to your face. First of all after your shower cleanse, tone and moisturize your face. Then apply some foundation, add some mascara and if you want to some eyeliner. Add some lipstick, lipgloss or lip balm and you are good to go. You really don’t need expensive skincare or make-up. You can buy your skincare or make-up at your local drugstore.

Fourth step. Do you always wear sneakers? Just because they are comfy and easy to wear. Why not buy a pair of nice comfy shoes. Maybe with a (little) heel or stylish flat shoes. Buy them when they are on sale and save money.

7 Minutes me time in the morning starts now:

Hair and make-up 6 minutes
Put on your clothes – 1 minute ( lay out your clothes the night before).

Now look in the mirror. Everybody can look pretty. Just allow yourself 7 minutes of me time!

You deserve me time, don’t you?