Limited or Permitted?

Should you limit things, or not? Good question, I'm glad you asked. Most people (including us) place limits on what our children can eat and do. You can only watch 3 hours of TV on weekends. You can only have 2 snacks a day. You can only have 1 snifter of brandy before lunch, etc.

The idea behind this is that without limits kids will make insane choices. They'll join professional eating competitions so they can eat all the world's pies. They'll catch so many Pokemon that the RSPCA will formally sanction them. They'll eat all your crisps before you even wake up in the morning. They'll watch TV until their eyes fall out and they have to get a direct neural link to Nickelodeon so they can watch reruns of iCarly. You limiting them helps them see what choices they "should" be making, then when they grow up they'll make those choices on their own.

Does that work, though? I've known people who were raised to not use drugs, yet when they were older and could make their own choices they've become drug addicts or even drug dealers. I've known people who were raised with their food choices restricted to only healthy options who then made unhealthy choices for years and years after they moved out on their own. Clearly, just saying "This is what you should do" is not enough to get people to make good choices. In most cases, people (including children) want to find things out for themselves, they want to arrive at their own truth in their own way.

In addition, forbidding something makes it more attractive and also gives a use it or lose it mentality. If you say "You're allowed one soda a day" to someone, they're going to have that soda even if they don't want to, because it's their one soda a day.

Perhaps if you give kids (or anyone) free reign in their choices, they'll be free to make good choices along with bad ones. They'll have the amount of snacks that feels right to them instead of having snacks when you say it's snack time even if they're not hungry. Maybe they'll watch ten hours of violent pornographic television one day and become a Noble laureate the next, because people like to do different things.

At the same time, though, what if you don't forbid food choices and you wake up to find that your children have chosen to eat you? You're letting them make their own choices, so you can't very well say "Hey, dude, that's the wrong choice." You just have to accept it, let them gnaw off your leg, and get a prosthetic one. Welcome to being a parent.

What do you think about this? Do you limit your kids? If you didn't, what would they do? How will they behave when they're older and can make their own choices without you?

My Dad

My Dad just had his 60th birthday and so I decided to make him a book of photos, quotes and memories as a gift to commemorate it. I got a nice hardback scrapbook from Paperchase to use. Then I wrote a list of things I wanted to include and sorted through some old photos to use.

Next I made a mock up of each page so I knew how I was going to lay it all out.

Sadly I had to rely on my own dubious artistic skills for some pages and the front cover. I had a cover story ready to use saying one of the kids did the artwork if anyone questioned the quality. Haha! :D

After I was finished I was really pleased with how it turned out. I think it made a great gift, one that's really personal to whoever you give it to. I think my Dad enjoyed it. ^_^

Saturday Sandwich 5 - Pastrami on Rye

I'm looking forward to this sandwich. I love pastrami but I've never had it on rye bread. It sounds like a really American sandwich to me, the kind you hear shouted out in a new York Deli. :D

Ingredients: rye bread, pastrami, mustard and gherkins/pickles.

Spread mustard on the bread and then add the pastrami. I love how the pastrami fits the rye bread perfectly. Things like that make me happy inside. ^_^ The book said to have pickles on the side but we had gherkin slices in the sandwiches.

They were fantastic! I really enjoyed this sandwich. The rye bread was really grainy and dense but very flavourful. It felt like a healthy sandwich with no butter and mustard instead. Mustard and pastrami is such a great combination, I love how they taste together.

JD wasn't as keen on the Rye bread as me, describing the bread as more like a slice of pressed nuts. It was actually like eating a layer of solid rice or something similar.  He did enjoy the pastrami and mustard though.

Ratings: JD - 2/5 Emma - 4/5

Saturday Sandwich 4 - The Luther Burger

This is a weird one! A cheeseburger sandwiched inside a doughnut. I love burgers and doughnuts but I'm not sure about combining them. I'm willing to give it a try :D

The book says this sandwich was named after Luther Vandross who used to love this burger combo. He also had his with bacon inside too.

Ingredients: doughnut, burger and a slice of cheese

Cook the burger however you like, top with cheese and then sandwich between a halved doughnut.

I've never had a food experience like this before. I took a bite and instantly felt confused. It was like eating two delicious things but separately and having them mix together in my mouth. I almost liked it but it was just too weird. It was displeasing holding a sticky sandwich and I had to keep switching hands to lick my fingers. I think it just doesn't follow that two delicious foods will be delicious if you combine them.

I did eat it all though >.>

Ratings: JD - 1/5 Emma - 1/5