Growing Kitchen Herbs With Your Kid

If you want a fun project to do with your kids try planting herbs. Not only does a herb garden connect kids with nature it gives them an education in the culinary arts (if you explain what the various herbs are good for.)

Best of all, an herb garden requires little investment in time or money. You can grow herbs from seed with your kids, or purchase 'plugs' which are small bedding plants. The miracle of watching a seed turn into a plant is very exciting for kids.

Keeping the garden organic is ecologically good for kids as well. Don't use fertilizers, sprays or chemicals. Little ones can pick and much on herbs as they like.

A great kid-friendly herb is basil. Look for seeds that are guaranteed to be fusarium free. You can make pesto all summer out of the basil. All you have to do is mulch the herb into a paste in your food processor.

Chives are also a wonderful herb to plant. Plant them once and they will grow back year after year. Chives are great in tuna sandwiches and omelets.

Mint grows fast and like a weed. It is a great choice for a window box. You can make tea out of it. Keep in mind that once you start growing mint it is going to grow in your yard forever. The same goes for lemon balm.

Oregano is another invasive herb that is easy to grow. It is great in spaghetti and other sauces. It also has a lovely scent.

Thyme is also a great herb to grow because it is so decorative. It twines around rocks and arbors easily and can actually grow quite tall.

Other great herbs for growing in a garden with your kids are –

Dill – Great in everything including eggs, dips and salads

Tarragon – Tastes like licorice and great on fish

Sage – This is nice on a pasta with cream sauce

Parsley – They can nibble on it raw and it goes great with everything including salmon, salads and pasta

Chervil – This is a lovely delicate version of parsley with lovely little white flowers

Rosemary – This goes great with lamb or sprinkled on potatoes

Coriander – This is great in salads and also on steaks

Savory – This is an acquired taste but it does go great on meat.

Putting together a herb garden is a great project that the entire family can do together!

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Why Your Kid Puts Up With Bullying

While youth crime in general has been on the wane, the number of youth crimes involving violence has increased. In 1986 about 8.5 per cent of all youth crimes were classified as violent. By 1996 it was up to 18.5 per cent. Basically this means that your kid is quite vulnerable to being intimidated at school or on the playground or when you least expect it.

It’s during the younger teen years that kids are more likely to be bullied. One of the most common forms of violence is extortion. Victims are intimidated into giving up lunch money on a regular basis (sometimes called “taxing”) or handing over stuff that kids value like PSPs, clothing or shoes. The bully gets worse whenever there is a new fashion fad.

Terror prevents your kid from telling you what is going on. A child can spend all day being ignored by everyone she knows just because she dared to confront a bully. She also risks losing her stuff, being misunderstood by teachers when she is blamed for stuff she did not do and also very real physical violence.

Another reason for violence just seems to be gossip or rumors or territorial behavior. Usually this is of a social nature and has to do with budding romances. Your kid may not tell you what is going on simply because they would really rather that you do not know that they like some girl or boy at school. It is completely embarrassing for them to think that you would intervene in a romantic matter. They tend to get up in dramas that they think are none of your business.

Bullies do not like betrayal so one solution is to give your kid a code word to use if there happens to be a bully nearby. That way you can be warned of trouble and avoid a confusing situation. A code word helped my kid reveal who was bullying her on the school ground without actually having to 'tell me.' A teacher and I were able to deal with it immediately.

Some police departments and schools, particularly in larger cities, are taking youth violence and teenage gangs more seriously, but many victims are won't ask for help from, adults. Partly, they fear vindictiveness from the bullies. Many don't have sex that their parents will take them seriously. However adult intervention into these bullying situations is absolutely essential sometimes or else someone can get seriously hurt.

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