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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

By Judy Magor 

Devonport Tasmania from Grass Roots Magazine No 176 Aug/Sep 2006 

I grew up thinking that a bag of broken biscuits from the grocer was a treat, you were privileged to have one pair of shoes, and you got your first and only bike when you were big enough to manage the one version available, an adult one, and then only if one could be bought cheaply second-hand or sufficient pieces were found at the rubbish tip to put one together. 

We did get gifts at Christmas and birthdays, but it as only in later years that I realised at what cost to my parents, who often went without basic necessities to make those occasions so special for us.  There was always one good toy, but our pillowcases bulged because often the things we needed were saved up to make our pile of presents look more substantial.  New pyjamas and school supplies were usually included.  Sometimes we were lucky enough to get a book or one of the cheap commercial stockings filled with cardboard toys, a magic painting book, a little pair of tin scales and a few tiny rock-hard sweets in the toe.  We thought we were rich indeed.  We had four children of our own and we used the same policy for them, one good toy and a few small extras that they needed or that were homemade at Christmas and birthdays.  A first pram was made from a cheap dolls carry basket, a set of discarded wheels and the handle of a broken toy lawnmower found at the tip.  There were dolls’ clothes and a bride’s dress and soft toys.  Gifts between these special occasions were rare indeed.  

Now our children’s children have yards full of bikes in graduating sizes, as well as rooms overflowing with toys.  When it comes to Birthdays and Christmas, what do you give to these modern children who have everything they ever wanted and a whole lot more as well?

GIVE YOUR TIME 

First of all, keep in mind that kids who have everything may also have time-poor parents.  Time can be a very special gift.  Use your own special gifts and abilities to provide learning experiences for children.  Look for the type of experiences the child’s parents are not able to provide because of their overwhelming time constraints or weariness.  Time to cuddle up for a long session of reading together can be a special treat.  A day out bushwalking, an overnight camping experience or a few hours fishing are time-demanding activities, but enriching exercises for both adult and child.  

One year our girls each received simple sewing kits in their pillowcases.  Material had been cut out for a skirt and cotton, elastic and instructions added.  A few days later I sat beside each girl to guide her through the process of making the garment on the sewing machine.  How excited they were to wear those skirts and to be able to say, “I made this myself”.  Teach a child how to maintain his or her bike or to bake a special cake or cook a meal.  Practical skills as well as craft skills delight children. 

SHARE YOUR INTERESTS 

Do you have a special area of interest or expertise to pass on to a child?  It is fun to look for shells and then take the time to identify them from a reference book.  Introduce children to gardening or teach them to knit.  Show them how to collect and mount stamps correctly, how to make hooked rugs or do tapestry.  Teach them safety and skills in the workshop as you help them put together a simple wooden toy, or just let them explore wood, hammer and nails under your supervision.  Provide them with clay and a place to be messy.  Not only are they benefiting from the gift of your time and undivided attention, but they are learning skills that will help them to use their own time in an interesting and productive way. 

Our grandchildren love strawberries.  A special treat is to be allowed to pick their own from our plants.  Take the idea one step further and help them to plant and look after their own little patch of strawberries.  City children would probably enjoy a visit to a “ pick your own “ farm.  

Most children like to cook.  Start with the gift of a packet cake mix and help them to make the cake.  I was surprised at how pleased a five-year-old boy was to be given a cook’s pack for his birthday: a cheap mixing bowl, measuring cups, measuring spoons and a wooden spoon, together with several packets of easy-to-cook foods including a cake mix, some biscuits and a pasta dish.  Later he reported back with some excitement when he had cooked each dish. 

Older children might enjoy a day spent at your house that includes planning a menu, shopping for the ingredients and then cooking a meal.  

Teach old skills: how to make butter, jam or bread from scratch.  Show them how to make their own pasta.

ENJOY AN OUTING 

Outings are another way to provide a special gift to a child.  Avoid the type of outing that cash-rich, time –poor parents provide their own children: the visits to films and stage shows, amusement parks, or to eating places offering toys, games or other gimmicks along with les than nutritious food.  Consider the child’s interests and age.  A short single experience such as a walk to the park to feed the ducks is ideal for a young child while and older child may enjoy a full day or half-day of activities.  

Pack food and drink to take with you when you take children on outings.  Eating out is expensive and over-indulgence in rich food can spoil the rest of the day for everyone.  Pack simple sandwiches, cracker biscuits, fruit juice and water.  If you are out for most of the day, several snack breaks will help maintain the child’s energy and provide time out from the excitement and demands of the day’s program.  

There are still lots of free activities and events around.  Look out for these, especially in the summer and in school holidays.  National parks often provide free activities at these times of the year, which could include exploring and identifying objects in tidal pools, discovering bush foods, tracking animals, looking for bush nightlife, spotting koalas or campfire cooking.  Public libraries often have holiday programs too, with story-telling and related crafts.  They may also have a regular story time each week for preschoolers.  Look out for kite flying festivals and street parades. 

SHARE THE CHILD’S INTERESTS 

Think creatively about the child you want to honour.  Is he or she interested in outdoor activities?  Bushwalking, bike riding or enabling them to join the scouting or guiding movement might be what they will really enjoy.  Children who like working with their hands might like to visit a woodturning exhibition where they can watch people at work as well as examine the finished items.  A craft fair may offer opportunities for hands-on experiences as well as showcasing possibilities to explore.  A visit to an art gallery or museum can be a great experience.  It is a good idea to keep these visits relatively short.  If the outing is a gift for a child, think about his or her needs rather than your own interests.  If they want to stand and watch the potter at the wheel or the blacksmith at the forge for 20 mins while an iron candelabra is created, let them.  If they are intrigued by the spinning demonstration, but not at all interested in the lace making that you would like to watch, remember that this is the child’s outing, not yours.  Come at another time to pursue your own interests! 

If a child is starting to take an interest in politics or law, why not see if there is an open session at the local law courts you can attend for a brief time.  Or take a tour of Parliament House and sit in the visitor’s gallery for a few minutes.  

Attend an outdoor concert; you don’t have to stay for the full time.  Wander through a car or boat showroom.  Explore op shops and tip shops together.  Look for things such as dressing-up clothes or books and games.  You might pick up a set of wheels that you and the child can build into a billycart, or discover a game that you can play together.