I think one of the coolest things about raising children is having the chance to pass on family traditions while at the same time reliving our own childhood with a fresh perspective. Some of my most treasured memories with my Grammy and Paw-Paw were spent in the garden and kitchen. Now it’s my turn to share the wisdom of my elders infused with a little magic, science, fun and tasty traditions with my nieces and nephews. I am honored to be Aunt Mandy to Danielle (4), Benjamin (2) and Ariel (coming soon). I am also Mimi to my best friend’s two boys Aiden (6) and Jack (4) with whom I live.
Recently, I was in the family’s backyard garden with Jack-Jack and we had a blast! Earlier this year, the menfolk built a beautiful 4-square, 2-level, raised box garden with a cross patterned path. Then, on the first Saturday of Spring Break, the entire family planted strawberries, 6 varieties of heirloom tomatoes (including a super sweet purple one), cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, purple and green bell peppers, shallots, fennel, basil, rosemary, thyme, Greek oregano, curly parsley, chives, and a couple types of cutting flowers. Lions and tigers and bears…OH MY!
It deeply warms my heart and fuels my passion for teaching when I see Jack’s eyes twinkle with excitement. He runs outside with his gardening gloves, basket and scissors to tend to his garden. High-pitched squeals of joy, gasps of fascination and smiles that burst into laughter are music to my ears. At first, we had to bridle his exuberance for picking EVERYTHING in the garden. But once he accepted that adults must be present and give permission before picking, he has blossomed into a real pint-sized gardener.
From the beginning, he helped with the planting of seeds and starter plants. He watched in amazement as they grew a little bit more each day. Jack learned why we don’t pick off the flowers of some plants and why we “dead-head” other flowers. He can tell you, “See that tiny flower right there, Mimi? That is going to turn into a tomato!” His mother and I taught him to rub the herbs and smell their sweet fragrance on his hands. His vocabulary has flourished as he learns the names of all the herbs, flowers and produce. He has more finely developed motor-skills from using a pair of scissors and climbing deep under the tomato plants to harvest the perfectly ripe tomatoes. He has even learned some cool science about pests and diseases that affect the plants. The sweetest of all gestures is his desire to pick or cut flowers for the girls. “Not the leaves, Mimi!” he instructs me as he clips Gardenias for Mom.
The fun and learning don’t stop outside. We take our bountiful crops inside to the kitchen were my “Shoe Chefs on the Case” hop into action, turning our veggies into a delicious meal. We make homemade salad dressings with herbs and Jack-Jack shakes it up then has a quick “chef snack” to insure tastiness. The girls chop and the boys drop the ingredients into the pot. We stir, taste and season our way to healthy, garden fresh meals like Ratatouille Stew (inspired by Jack’s favorite movie), Purple Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Pesto Pasta, Grilled Veggie and Chicken Kabobs and the simple pleasure of fresh tomatoes with salt, pepper and droplets of olive oil. Pretty soon we will have enough green beans for the entire family to feast on.
You might think that since you don’t have a home garden, you cannot create memories like these. Well I am here to tell you that you can reproduce similar experiences with the children in your life. First and foremost, it’s about leading by example. It’s about inviting your children to learn about seasonal varieties of produce. It’s about modeling and encouraging an adventurous palate. But most importantly, it’s about having fun and tapping into your own child-like wonder of the world around you. So, turn off the TV, log off the web and tune into your kids. I promise, both you and the kids will create memories for a lifetime.
One last request, dear reader, grab that point-n-shoot camera and share some of your family’s food memories…in a garden, farmer’s market, holiday feasts, birthday parties, snacks or breakfasts in bed. In my next article I will explore some creative tips for teaching your kids about food and cooking.
