Today’s Gift on the Joy. Peace. Love. @ Home advent calendar for parents
One Free Poke Bowl with one purchased
from Poke Bar Hawaii – Paris
What is a Poke Bowl?
Poke is a delicious, fresh, complete food! It’s the traditional Hawaiian fishermen’s salad with a twist of modern French cuisine.
At Poke Bar you create your own poke bowl à la carte. Salad or rice? Marinated fish or _____? Veggies and / or fruit? French dessert (!) or lighter fare?
It’s the fun of choosing the toppings on the pizza with the health benefits of the fresh outdoors.
Kids get to be in charge of their meal and to co-create their unique dish. THAT’s a discovery!
Hawaiian Sun Warming Parisian Winters
Who said there were only 50 shades of grey?
In the wintertime, Paris unsparkles with 100 000 nuances between black-like and white-ish. Grey skies. Grey sidewalks. Grey buildings. Grey fashion….
That’s why a pause at Poke Bar boosts both body and spirit during this winter season. The bright wallpaper transports you and the children to Hawaii. Elodie and Isabelle’s sunny welcome shines bright. Mosey on over to their cozy hotspot.
How does a Poke help build
Joy. Peace. Love. @ Home?
Discovery changes dynamics.
Did you notice how your child’s comfort zone differs from yours? Discovery brings those zones together.
Parent & Child Comfort Zones
You like a living room with comfy sofas on which to sit and decorative throw pillows to add ambiance.
The kids prefer a living room build like a fort: the sofa is pulled away from the wall, the throw pillows cover the floor for comfort, and the (wet) towels were dragged through the apartment to create the fort roof.
Comfy for mom & dad ≠ comfy for kids!
And oftentimes, the children must acquiesce to the parents’ definition of “acceptable.” It sounds like, “Clean up! N.O.W.”
The Gift of Discovery
Yet there is a time when parent and child find themselves on “neutral” territory. When on a discovery, EVERYONE discovers new ground. (For a moment) Mom and Dad put aside their role of “expert in charge” and put on a wide-eyed, expectation-filled mindset. Kind of like a kid!
Find a Discovery Next Door!
In our busy lifestyles, we families often relegate new experiences to vacation time.
“What city/country/continent should we visit?”
What if discovery were right around the corner? Or even in the fridge?!
We love food experiences because it makes discovery accessible, frequent, and fun.
Food Discovery…Fun?
Some parents cringe at the idea of getting kids to taste new foods. We have each found ourselves playing a version of each of these roles…and it’s no fun.
The Reasoner: “You can’t eat noodles for the rest of your life. Just try ONE bite.”
The Briber: “If you try just one bite, you can have your favorite desert.”
The Police: “This food or nothing.”
Why not try a different approach?
1. Start with your mindset
Decide to enjoy yourself for this discovery moment. You cannot force anyone else to think or feel like you. So be generous and give them the choice (and responsibility) for their thoughts and actions.
There will be other meals to insist on green peas or carrots or broccoli. Make this experience special.
2. Be the example of “Food discovery = Fun”
Focus on YOUR learning. What if you created a poem about the new foods?
“Cherry tomato. Pop. Squirt.
Fish & Hot Spice & Fruit.Who would have thought? It works!! …”
Take full responsibility for YOUR attitude. When your child grunts and glowers, you can choose to react to it or to ignore it for now.
3. Believe in your children and that they can manage the responsibility of their choices.
If your child does not want to eat, he might get hungry. In our western culture, where many of us over-consume, is that the end of the world? Might it generate thankfulness for what she has often taken for granted?
Reality is a powerful teacher. (Usually way more impactful than a lecture by a frustrated parent!)
4. Provide the children with a place to disagree
Some cultures consider fish eye balls (raw) to be a delicacy. You and I may disagree.Your child is allowed to not like bitterness of watercress soup, the chewiness of pulpa, or the crunch of carrots.Teach them how to express their reservations in a constructive manner.
“For our next food discovery outing, could we just try desserts?” ☹ ????
5. Prepare the children in advance – both for the outing and for your attitude
Let the kids know about your choice of attitude.
Expect them to test it! Be ready to smile and count to 10 before answering them.
Thank You
Poke Bar – Hawaii-Paris
24 rue du 4 Septembre, Paris 75002
Métro : Opéra ou 4 Septembre – 01 70 69 94 32
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