Depending on the age of your child, there is plenty they can help with, as the recipes below show. For preschool kids, guide them through the measurements and they can watch from a distance as you put the baking in the oven. For older kids, narrate through the details, such as, “… and it has to go on the middle rack so the warm air reaches all over the pan” or “make sure you don’t sift it too much, or the cake will be too dry.” Younger kids just love the experience of seeing ingredients turn into yummy food. Older kids will be more curious as to why certain foods have to be made certain ways.

Kids love to feel like they are a part of things and if you can include them in this seemingly everyday task, it can not only lead to a fun tradition but also get them interested in healthy home cooking from an early age. So get out matching aprons and play some of your kids’ favorite music in the background for a bit of dancing during the preparation. This is a party that may be functional but will turn the task of cooking into something truly special. Let’s begin!

Sugar Cookie Recipe

As an adult you know that sugar cookies are one of the easiest things to bake. Even if you don’t have a true baker inside of you, this is easy enough to put together. This type of cookie makes for an excellent dessert to prepare with the kids. What child doesn’t love a good cookie?

Start with a simple sugar cookie recipe or if you really aren’t that talented in the baking department or are short on time, get a pre-mixed variety. Either way you want to put together the usual flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, and oil. The kids will love mixing everything together.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extra

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, have your child stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Together, roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Half the fun is decorating your sugar cookies and that’s where the party activity comes into play. Be sure to prepare and bake these early on so that they have time to cool while you tend to the other dishes.

Put out different colored and flavored frosting such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and rainbow chip. Have handy some sprinkles, M&M’s, cinnamon candies, little hearts, and some colored sugar decorations. Let the kids use their imagination and don’t limit them on how they can decorate these tasty treats.

Have a competition to see who can come up with the best design, the most “glitter”, or the funniest cookie face. You will capture some laughs and love how great it is to prepare and decorate these delectable goodies!

Turkey and Bean Soup Recipe

There’s nothing that offers more comfort and warmth on a cold winter day like a pot of soup. A good choice is a chicken soup or minestrone with fresh vegetables.

Let your child help you to peel carrots or potatoes, pour in the broth, and measure out the noodles. You can just use a simple chicken broth as the base and then add in some favorites like diced tomatoes and potatoes, chopped green beans, zucchini, and perhaps some broccoli. Let them help you to select and throw in the right seasonings and let the soup cook.

Here’s a great turkey and bean soup recipe. Mix together:

Ingredients:

• 2 Boxes of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 Package of Ground Turkey, Browned
• 1 Can of Cannellini Beans, Drained
• 1/2 Package of Spinach, Washed and Sautéed
• 1/2 Acorn Squash, Cooked with Seeds Removed
• Blend of Mixed Veggies (zucchini, carrots, potatoes, green beans)
• 1 Cup of Macaroni

Directions:

1. Start with the chicken broth and gradually add all the ingredients, in the order listed. Cook until soft.

Cooking with Colors – Red Cooking Day

You can never go wrong when you cook with a color theme. Announce that today will be “red cooking day” and then go to work creating culinary dishes to match the color and the theme.

• Dessert — First, put together some strawberry muffins using a baking mix as the core. Then take turns putting in chopped fresh strawberries, baking soda, oil, eggs, and milk. Set aside and cool.

• Dinner — Prepare a favorite like spaghetti with some tasty tomato sauce. Do they have this all the time? Sure, but when they get to help you prepare it then it really makes for a fun party and a great way of bonding. Have them help you to pick which vegetables that you put into the tomato sauce, even if it’s the jarred variety. For an extra special party dish have them help you make some simple but extraordinary meatballs. Mix in a bit of diced tomatoes to give it something extra and to pay tribute to the color theme of the day.

• Salad — Try a fresh cherry tomato and mozzarella salad, but let your child make the ingredients into happy faces. On a bed of lettuce sprinkle some basil for the smile, the fresh tomatoes for the eyes, and a cute little mozzarella ball for the nose. (We did this for my youngest daughter’s Elmo birthday party last year, my eldest and I making salads in the likeness of his face.)

You can’t go wrong if you mix up a simple recipe that also happens to be fun to create together. That’s what a cooking party is all about—making something truly delicious together as a family but having a lot of fun doing it together!

Have the kids help in the kitchen! What yummy recipes will you be sharing with your children this month?

Top photo courtesy of Flickr.

Chris Molnar does most of the cooking in his family, so much that his wife bought him a 350 watt stand mixer one Christmas. His specialty is chicken paprikash, a Hungarian specialty that everybody loves (even his 2 year old, who right now will only eat chocolate chip cookies, rice, spaghetti and Cheez Whiz sandwiches.) Chris works at home and is editor of a themed party site for kids.

I’ve generally always been a healthy eater and grew up eating a lot of fruits and vegetables—eating habits that I have carried with me in to adulthood. Although I do not need to make drastic changes to my diet, there are aspects that could use improvement. For example, I am reducing my sugar and meat consumption. I have replaced soda with sparkling water, am using unrefined sweeteners such as honey, and am no longer eating white bread. I am also cooking two or more meatless meals per week so that when I do eat a meal with animal protein, I can eat higher quality meat that has been raised and slaughtered humanely and fed a proper diet.

Another change I am making to my eating habits is incorporating more whole grains into my diet. Quinoa is one of my new favorite whole grains to eat and it has become a staple in my pantry. Since I am eating more meatless meals, I can still get my protein from eating quinoa, because it is a complete protein source. It is also high in fiber, is naturally gluten-free and is an easily digestible grain and much less filling than whole grain pasta, for example.

Quinoa is an incredibly versatile grain whose delicate nutty flavor adapts well to both sweet or savory recipes so it can be enjoyed both as a hot breakfast cereal or as a side dish, like this recipe for quinoa with roasted vegetables. Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and concentrates their flavor and the only seasonings you need are salt, pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. As the vegetables roast, their natural sugars caramelize and their flavors intensify. The quinoa can be cooked in either chicken stock, vegetable broth or water, and seasoned lightly with some salt.

Once the roasted vegetables are combined with the quinoa, you have a healthy and delicious pilaf that can be enjoyed either as a side dish or on its own. It is equally flavorful eaten slightly warmed or at room temperature, so it is perfect to pack for a lunch for work or school. I always make a large portion of this pilaf because it keeps for a week covered in the refrigerator, and I can eat it for several days.

If you are trying to incorporate more whole grains and vegetables in your diet, give this quinoa pilaf with roasted vegetables a try. It’s an easy and fuss-free recipe and proof that healthy eating can be incredibly delicious and satisfying.

Quinoa Pilaf With Roasted Vegetables Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sliced almonds (optional)
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups zucchini, medium dice (2 small zucchini)
• 3 cups eggplant, trimmed & peeled; medium dice (1 small eggplant)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, left whole
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup quinoa

Directions:

1. Place oven racks in the middle and bottom third positions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant, checking often to make sure they do not burn. Remove the almonds from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
3. Wash and pat dry all the vegetables. Trim the broccoli florets, discarding stems. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into medium-size diced pieces. Place the broccoli, zucchini, eggplant and cherry tomatoes into a large bowl. Add the salt, pepper and olive oil and using a rubber spatula, toss gently to coat. Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. It’s OK if the vegetables touch. Use a second baking sheet if you are making a larger amount of vegetables.
4. Roast the vegetables until they are golden brown and tender, about 35-45 minutes. Once the vegetables are finished cooking, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool slightly on the baking sheets while you cook the quinoa.
5. Bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add in the salt and stir to dissolve. Add in the quinoa and stir. Cover the saucepan and bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook the quinoa until all the broth is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Once the quinoa is finished cooking, the grains will appear translucent, and the germ “ring” will be visible along the outside of the grain. Remove from the heat and let the quinoa stand for 5 minutes, covered. Uncover the saucepan and fluff the quinoa gently using a fork. Add in the roasted vegetables and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted sliced almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Helpful Tips:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa = approx. 3 cups cooked quinoa
• Cut the vegetables into similar size pieces to ensure even cooking.
• To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute water or vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
• Measurements for the vegetables as given above do not need to be exact since the size of vegetables varies widely, as will the size you dice them. It’s always a good idea to roast extra vegetables to use in other ways. Roasted vegetables can be added to sandwiches and wraps, served as a side dish, used as a topping on crostini, or used as a healthy pizza topping.
• If you cannot find pre-rinsed quinoa, make sure you rinse the quinoa before cooking it. Measure out the amount you will use, place it in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water, draining well. Proceed with cooking the quinoa as directed.

How do you make sure you and your family are getting the proper nutrition you need?

Flavia Scalzitti is a food blogger based in Houston, Texas. She is originally from Maryland and comes from an Italian family. Flavia grew up around people who used food and cooking as a way to keep their traditions alive, celebrate their Italian culture, express their love for their family, and nourish the people they cooked for with the freshest and best quality ingredients. She is entirely self-taught and is also passionate about baking. In addition to cooking and baking, Flavia enjoys learning about and practicing photography, reading, traveling, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband, Peter. She blogs at Flavia’s Flavors: http://www.flaviasflavors.com

So, what will we do if there is going to be six more weeks of winter? Never fear, friends. There is plenty to do that will help you get through the next six weeks!

3 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Turn Off the TV and Computer

We know being active and maintaining a healthy diet are important parts of self-care, for ourselves and our children. Instead of watching the tube mindlessly or checking our Twitter account while munching on comfort food, let’s make a pact that we’ll be active every day this winter. Need inspiration?

• Have a snowball fight or build a snowman.
• Have a dance-off contest or set-up an indoor obstacle course.
• Play board games or Twister.

Get Crafty

• Make Valentine handprint cards.
• Make a living room A-frame tent.
• Paint the snow.  Fill bottles with food coloring and water; go outside and paint.

Do Good

Local heroes, the needy and sick, senior citizens, and children are just a handful of the people you and your family can connect with on a regular basis. Not sure where to start?

• Spread bread.
• Provide love, warmth, security and comfort to a child with Project Linus.
• Organize a makeover/fashion show event for a local senior home.

What does your family do during a long winter? What have you incorporated into your family that you did when you were growing up?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Desiree Allen is a thirty-something single parent with two children. A native of Denver, Colorado, she lived there until 2009, when she moved across the country to northern New Jersey with her kids. She is doing her best to avoid ‘picking up’ a Jersey accent, but she’s not making promises that she won’t eventually start sounding like some of her new friends. You can find her blogging at Writing to Sanity and tweeting @writingtosanity.

How To Make Valentine’s Day Coupon Booklets

Materials Needed:

• Paint Chip Sample Cards or any other rigid card stock type of paper, including cereal boxes would work
• Index cards or printer paper
• Stapler
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Glue dots
• Miscellaneous items for embellishments, such as scrapbook paper, construction paper, fabric scraps, buttons, brads, stamps (I used a piece from a used aluminum pan for the silver hearts in the picture) — basically anything you’d like to use that can be glued to paper.

Directions:

1. Take your paint chip card and fold one end up, about 3/4″ or so (this will become the bottom of the matchbook style notebook).

4. Place your coupons inside the short flap of the paint chip, and staple the coupons inside the flap. Fold the long end over and tuck it into the short end. If the long end is too long, just cut off part of the chip, until the end tucks in nicely into the flap, just like a matchbook.

What crafts will you be making this Valentine’s Day?

Theresa Jones is the mom of a good-sized family, consisting of herself, her husband, four grown children, 2 high school-aged children, 1 granddaughter, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law 1 dog 2 cats and one grandchild-to-be (Aug 2012).

She spends a good part of her day working on her blog, Frugal Experiments. It is where she writes about experimenting in frugality, book reviews, product reviews and giveaways. When she’s not writing, you will find her either, reading, cooking, gardening, crocheting, or studying. She is currently enrolled full-time in college, taking a certificate course in Entrepreneurship, with the intent of turning her love of blogging into a business.

If you are like me (until recently) and have no idea what a Whoopie Pie is don’t worry, you aren’t alone. A Whoopie Pie is a cross between a cake, a cookie, and a cupcake! Isn’t that fantastic?! You can make them in any flavor you want and whatever size you like. I made regular size and mini whoopie pies. I preferred the mini whoopie pies because it was just two bites and I didn’t feel guilty for eating one afterward.

There are about a million and one ways to make a Whoopie Pie but my favorite is with a box of cake mix! It can’t get much easier than that! I did make my filling but you could also use store bought icing, if you don’t fill up to making your own. However, I promise making your own is really easy.

Lemon Raspberry Whoopie Pie Recipe

For the Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Cake Mix (I used Lemon for this recipe)
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Beat all ingredients on medium low speed until combined.
4. Fill piping bag (or zip-top storage bag) with cake mix.  If using a zip-top bag snip one of the corners off and push mix toward corner. You can make whatever kind of design you would like, I piped circles on the lined cookie sheet.
5. Bake the cake mix. If making bigger pies bake for 7-10 minutes.  If making small pies bake for 4-6 minutes.
6. Cool completely on rack.

For the Creamy Raspberry Filling:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 1/3 Cup Marshmallow Cream
• 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp Raspberry extract
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Flip half of your pies over to form a top and bottom. You should have half of the flat sides facing upward and half domed side facing upward.
3. Place a mound of filling in the center of each flat side up pie.
4. Top with remaining pies, domed side, up and press gently to spread filling.
5. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Have you ever eaten a Whoopie pie? What are some of your favorite sweet treats?

Recipe adapted from grouprecipes.com.

Brandi is the creator of The Creative Princess.   She is a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls, avid couponer, crafter and a Pinterest addict.  You will find awesome tutorials, creative couponing, cooking and crafting on her blog, she also takes you down her crazy journey of life around her small Oklahoma town.

I had zealously pursued my degree in journalism, and didn’t want to be bothered with such a trivial course. But the day in that class that they played Smetana’s The Moldau, I was spellbound, replete with chills that coursed up and down my skin in time with the trills of the violins. A door opened for me that day, one that I had not realized existed, even though I’d taken violin and piano lessons for years. It was a door that opened up onto the power of creativity and the beauty and meaning of music.

Now, as a parent, I know that I have a great responsibility to help my children find that door too. At the very least, I have a deep-seated hope that they’ll have that epiphanic moment, the true awakening their creative juices. I, like other parents, teach them piano, expose them to good music in a variety of genres, and try creative tips like these offered by other moms who are successfully teaching their kids about music. A few more helpful tips were provided at a MomItForward Twitter Girls’ Night Out, sponsored by Quaker, a few months ago.

6 Tips for Strengthening a Kid’s Music Education

1. Plug into free online homeschool music teaching resources, some of which you can find just by googling.
2. Find out about the lives of the people that compose, write, or play the music you want your kids to learn. Gretta Johns of @TheJohnsFamily plays the piano and has 10-year-old and 7-year-old girls that play violin, a six year-old son that plays drum, and a husband that plays the guitar and mandolin. She says her kids learning about the artists has brought the music to life for them. AllMusic.com can be a good resource for this, says @Creep4Ward.
3. Know or make up stories to go with the music, if there are no vocals, says our own @jylmomIF. For instance, the Moldau portrays the course of a river.
4. Check out Quaver Music or Pfeiffer House Music, music curriculums for parents, both of which Gretta highly recommends.
5. Show examples of how “practice makes perfect,” says @jylmomIF, who adds: “Offer incentives. Validate a ton!”
6. Be consistent in your practice expectations, but provide your kids’ opportunities for choice, whether in song selection or reward.

 What is your favorite type of music? What are you doing to expose your children to good music?

I don’t think it is an accident that coming from a family of readers, I in turn, absolutely love to read. I enjoy Young Adult (YA) Books, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and even Middle Grade (MG) Books! My husband does think I am (a bit) silly for reading MG and YA Books, but the good ones have interesting characters and storylines such as The Ember Series by Jeanne DuPrau and The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

Research has found that the most important aspect of reading is how the child feels about reading. This means that positive reinforcement from parents and educators does help. For a child to see that their parents enjoy reading is one of the best ways to encourage them to read. Research has also found that forcing a child to read does not yield positive results. Instead of forcing the issue, it might work to have a reading time that the whole family enjoys together (Source: www.creativeteachingsite.com).

How To Increase a Child’s Literacy Skills

Here are some suggestions that can help your child build the necessary literacy skills.

Model Reading and Writing

My parents were always reading and I just thought that all families enjoyed reading growing up. As we know, children learn best by what we model. You can ask your middle-grade or teenager to write out to-do lists, shopping lists, letters, and invitations. Another great idea is to have them find a pen pal from another state or even another country. Also, read an MG or YA book together and discuss the characters, storyline, and what you hope will happen next if it is part of a series such as The Hunger Games. This might be fun to do together as it is coming out as a movie this March.

Participate in Everyday Activities

This could include discussing newspaper articles you read together, journals, or magazines. Another idea is to have them compare prices of items they want at different department stores or sporting equipment to find the best deal. Playing language and spelling games together like Scrabble, Boggle, or Trivial Pursuit can help improve literacy skills by looking up the meaning of certain words together.

Turn Family Vacations and Trips Into Learning Opportunities

My daughter loves to go the local museum, planetariums, and zoo. This provides a wonderful opportunity for me to explain how things work and about the animals. Maybe put together a scrapbook of a family vacation together and have them write out funny captions above the pictures.

These are all simple ideas to help to encourage your child to enjoy reading and writing. The less it feels like a chore and more a way of life, the more likely they will grow up with a positive association with reading.

What books are you and your family reading? How can you encourage your kids to read more?

References:

1. How To Encourage Students To Read (http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/read1).
2. Peel District School Board.  Help your teen build literacy skills (www.peelschools.org).

Picture courtesy of Flickr.

Melissa Northway, M.S. Human Nutrition, is a mom, writer and her storybook app Penelope the Purple Pirate has been chosen as a Top 10 Must-Have eBook by lilsugar of Popsugar.com and a Top 10 Educational iPad App by Digital Storytime.  She does consulting work for companies interested in marketing their apps or eBooks. She can be reached at: mcube@sbcglobal.net and http://www.melissanorthway.com or @melissanorthway. See my review of The Hunger Games coming next week.

If you want simple ways to teach your toddler the alphabet, start with this easy, fun activity aimed at teaching them the the letter “A” and its sound. The more ways you can not only show the letter, but present it in a way that they can touch it, feel its shape, and have fun, the better.

Activities to Help Your Toddler Learn the Letter “A”

Supplies

• a red or green adult-size t-shirt
• an apple
• black felt
• scissors

Directions

1.) Show your child the letter.

You can print a large capital “A” on a piece of paper, or show them one from the Amazing Action Alphabet flipchart book, which I highly recommend. Show your child the apple. Say “A is for apple.” Let them eat the apple if they want.

2.) Help your child “become” the apple.

Draw an outline of  a block letter “A” on a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 black or brown felt, using a ruler and a felt-tip pen. The apex of the “A” is the mid-point of the landscape-oriented long side. Cut it out.

Attach it using safety pins or glue dots to the front of the shirt. Put the t-shirt on your child. Stuff a couch pillow up the front, adding clothes or batting if needed until you have the desired “round” effect. Cinch the shirt closed with a belt at the waist (if desired).

Do an apple dance, maybe using this song about apples, sung to the tune of “Five Little Monkeys.”

3.) Add-on activity.

If you want to take it a step further, do a simple order story about eating an apple by drawing or printing out four clipart or googled images of an apple tree, someone picking an apple, someone cutting up or peeling an apple, and someone eating an apple. Help your child put the pictures in order. This teaches not only the letter, but pre-math sequencing skills as well.

What are some of the ways you have made learning fun for your children?

To create special and memorable moments with your kids, you do not have to spend a fortune!

5 Date Ideas for You and Your Kids

The following are a few ideas that we have done in the past and plan to do again this year:

1. Outdoor Fun

During the summer, my kids and I try to visit a new park each week! I call it the park tour. Sometimes we pack a lunch, enjoy a treat or ice cream, or invite friends to play! You can make it as individual or social as you want!

2. Indoor Fun

If your climate doesn’t allow for outdoor play this time of the year, hit up a mall playground. To make it more exciting, you can let your child choose the mall you visit! Remember, you can pack your lunch or a special treat to eat in the mall as well! You do not have to buy an expensive treat!

3. Nap Time Fun

If you have more than one child, utilize nap time! When your younger child lies down for a nap, take that time with your older child and make it special and individualized. Maybe you get out a board game, read some special stories, or do a messy art project — do whatever will make nap time unique for you and your kid.

4. Sweet Treat Fun

Sometimes slowing down and sharing some baking/cooking together can generate some great conversations! Not only will you be working on life skills (cooking) but you will be able to talk as you prepare the treat and of course take a little extra time to chat while you enjoy the yummy treat!

5. Movie Night Fun

This fun time could be adapted in so many ways! You could surprise the kids with a morning movie while they are still in their PJs. Or, you could do an afternoon viewing of their favorite movie or simple early evening cuddle with their favorite flick! Pop some popcorn for a crunchy snack or pop a frozen pizza in the oven!

These are just a few of my favorites! Be sure to start your own ‘list’ of dates you want to have with your kids! Let’s make this year special by creating some memorable times with our children!

How do you make special memories with your kids?

Photo courtesy of flickr.

Every family has a story. Some stories are funny, others are heartwarming, and some family stories are educational. There are mothers who write about autism or about adoption. I have seen celebrities write books about cooking, parenting, acting, or what it’s like in live in Hollywood. Katy Perry could write a book about what it was like being a small town Christian girl who exploded on the music scene as one of the biggest stars in the world. Nothing in our life is ever clean and simple. Whatever you’ve been through, it is a story that could possibly help someone else.

How To Write a Book With Your Kids

Here are some ides to get your stories down on paper and involve the whole family.

Get Your Kids Involved in the Process

Think about writing about your family, a summer vacation experience, their grandparents, or even a how to book that teaches other kids how to do something.

Do a Little Bit at a Time

It’s hard to have the patience to write an essay or a book. Writing is a skill that kids can use for a lifetime and some people, like me, make a living off of it. Start writing down your story. Do this in little sound bites. Then it will not be as overwhelming.

Make a List

Write down three of your best ideas. Talk it over with your kids and choose one of your ideas. Brainstorm with your kids about your topic and everyone contribute.

Have a Beginning, Middle, and End

Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Start at the beginning. This book is about _____. Fill in the blank and go from there!. This can be your beginning chapter. The middle of the book is the meat of your story. Tell about your experiences with the subject and don’t stop writing. Just let it flow. Think about ways your story can help someone. Kids can come up with fresh ideas and concepts. Don’t overlook their contribution or perception of the story.

Include Illustrations

Involve the kids in illustrating drawings that go with you subject. This could be a fun way to bond with your kids around the dinner table. Take out the book for two weeks at dinner time and work on it together.
You don’t have to be a writer to teach your kids how to advance their writing skills. If you decide to publish your book, the possibilities are endless!

My kids have been with me on book signings, have watched me work the room, hand out books, and video tape events. They have traveled with me to the London book fair and have seen my books in bookstores all over the world. It’s fine if you decide not to go that route. Remember that your book is about the story and the message you are trying to get across to your reader. Stories bring people together.

If you decide to print your book, submit it to Shutterfly, Apple, Snapfish, or your nearest printer! The final product will be something your kids will share with family and friends for a lifetime. It will be something they will be proud of because you did it together.

How do you get your kids involved in writing? How do you capture your family’s stories and memories?

Picture for flickr.

Tammy Kling is a life coach, crisis management expert, and advocate for the homeless. She is an international author of 37 books including The Compass. Tammy is also the founder of The Homeless Writers Project, an organization that helps those living on the street write out their hopes & dreams via writers workshops, free journals and other resources. In addition to writing and coaching, Tammy is a mom of two boys, an avid trail and mountain runner, blogger, and adventure travel writer.