In a world where self-entitlement and individualism often overshadow community spirit, parenting with a focus on raising compassionate and responsible human beings is more important than ever. As a parent in a neighborhood with many older residents, I have taken a different approach to instill values of service, respect, and hard work in my children.
Why Chores Matter
Many people have told me that I am too hard on my children because I expect them to do chores and help out around the house. From setting the table for dinner to feeding the chickens to doing the laundry both children are required to help. There are no gender-specific chores in our house, everyone has to learn to be self-sufficient. I believe that chores are more than just tasks to be completed; they are opportunities to teach responsibility, accountability, and the value of contributing to the household. By involving my children in daily chores, I am preparing them to become adults who understand the importance of hard work and teamwork.
Serving the Community
Living in a neighborhood where the majority of residents are over the age of 65 has provided a unique opportunity for my children to learn about community service. I encourage my kids to help our neighbors by bringing in trashcans, shoveling snow, raking leaves, and mowing lawns—not just for our family, but for everyone on our block. I have taught them to offer their help without expecting anything in return, understanding that our neighbors are often on fixed incomes. This has not only fostered a sense of duty but has also created a supportive and caring community.
Unexpected Rewards
Despite teaching my children not to expect rewards for their service, our neighbors have often shown their appreciation through small tokens of gratitude—whether it’s money, snacks, or assistance with school projects. This reciprocity has shown my children the power of kindness and the positive impact of helping others. My children have learned extensively about our neighbors’ lives through interviews for school projects, learning more about local history than they ever do in school. Our neighbors have helped with building projects that my husband lacks the patience to support. We share recipes and excess (i.e., fruits, veggies, or bulk foods) when we experience abundance. These rewards are greater than any monetary gift because my children walk around saying they have multiple grandparents that aren’t theirs by blood, but by choice.
No Option to Opt-Out
In our household, the option to say “no” to helping someone in need does not exist. This approach may seem harsh to some, but it is a fundamental part of our core family values. I believe that too many children today are allowed to “opt-out” of being good people because it doesn’t feel right or convenient. By not giving my children this option, I am instilling in them the importance of empathy, generosity, and the willingness to lend a helping hand.
Challenges and Growth
I have lost a few friends along the way because they believe I push my kids too hard. However, I see the bigger picture: my children are growing into individuals who are willing to help those in need, without hesitation. They are growing up to be decent human beings who will do hopefully some good in this world. The only downside is that they sometimes lack patience for peers who do not hold themselves to the same standards.
This is a challenge we continue to navigate, but I am proud of the values my children uphold.
Let’s take a step back from the hustle and bustle of modern life and focus on the fundamental values that can shape a better tomorrow. Encourage your children to lend a helping hand, be it within your home or in your community. By fostering a spirit of generosity and responsibility, we can raise the next generation to be compassionate, thoughtful, and active members of society. Share your own experiences and inspire others to join this movement of back-to-basics parenting. Together, we can make a positive impact—one good deed at a time.
Sam recently went on an extended vacation. She thought that maybe sharing a few thoughts might help you prepare for your long weekend or extended time away from home. (Apologies – I missed getting these up before the long Labor Day weekend!)
Sam offers these short videos: Tips to Prep for Your Vacation
Since they’re short videos, I’ve placed all 4 tips in the post.
Tip 1 is prepping your home so that there are no surprises when you return from your vacation!
No one wants to return home to a bed that needs making before you can hit the sack, or dirty dishes in the sink that makes it frustrating to make a meal. Sam offers a few great tips to prevent potential catastrophes that will quickly ruin a fun vacation!
Tip 2 is prepping your pets for less anxiety on your leaving and less mess on your return home.
Do you have a dog that gets anxious as he watches you start to pack? If so, he’s probably underfoot, whiny, and a bit of a pain. Sam offers a few tips that just might make it easier on everyone!
Tip 3 is prepping your garden.
A couple of brief thoughts on helping to control those pesky weeds while you’re gone!
Tip 4 is for those folks who raise their own chickens.
Sam offers a few ideas to keep them safe and happy with no surprises, hopefully, on your return.
Prepping for Vacation Time can make returning a hundred times more pleasant with a few simple tasks. It’s so nice to return to no dishes in the sink, beds made and ready for you to crash from that ‘relaxing’ vacation, no ants and other bugs because you left food out somewhere, a pet that’s happy your home with no trauma while you were gone, a garden that doesn’t have 10′ weeds growing in it, and, if you have chickens, a hen house that’s happy and just as comfy when you get back as they were when you left.
As you plan for the upcoming holidays, the seasonal tips may change, but the concepts are the same. Prepping for vacation gives greater certainty that you’ll be happy to return. Consider your pets and any anxieties they may have. Be sure any gardening issues or animal care (such as your chickens) are taken into consideration.
Remember: The return from a wonderful time away will be a lot less frustrating if you’re not having to clean before you can sit down and relax. Enjoy that time away!
Sam and I are always talking about tips and tricks to make your life easier while being prepared. While Sam’s enjoying a wonderful family vacation with friends, I’ll post my easy, fresh salad preparation which works great for one or two people, especially when you don’t eat it fast enough before it goes bad. But it would work for any family of any size.
This is for a simple tossed salad, but you can prepare most items ahead, making it easier to enjoy a fresh, crisp salad at any time without a lot of preparation. This process will allow you to enjoy fresh salads for 10-14 days.
A few key points:
Keep your fridge colder – I keep mine close to the coldest setting. I feel it’s worth it if I’m trying to save on grocery trips.
Always be sure to wash your veggies and dry them. I don’t have one of those spinners, so I just use a clean dish towel or paper towels.
Iceberg Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce stored in 9×13 cake pan with lid
green onions
green onions wrapped in paper towel and placed in plastic bag
peppers
peppers prepped for fridge storage
cleaned mushrooms
mushrooms cut and stored for fridge
Steps for a simple tossed salad:
Iceberg lettuce – take off outer leaves, rinse if needed, and dry. I usually cut the core out and then cut it in half. It makes it easy to grab a few leaves for a sandwich or to cut up for your salad. I wrap them in paper towels and place in a large plastic bag (or your favorite container).
Romaine Lettuce – remove the outer leaves, cut the core off the bottom, separate the leaves, rinse and dry. Line a 9×13 cake pan with a couple of paper towels. Place your leaves in and cover with a paper towel. Place the lid on the cake pan and store in the bottom of your fridge (bottom is colder).
Peppers – wash, remove stem and seeds, and cut in half or quarters (lengthwise). Be sure to dry them off with a paper towel. I use a 32 oz yogurt container. Place a piece of paper towel on the bottom, place a few pieces, add another piece of paper towel, and place the rest of the pepper. The paper towel helps to absorb the moisture.
Peppers can also be chopped up and stored in the same manner as above.
Mushrooms – in this case, I have button mushrooms. I wash them and dry them. Slice them if you like. Pack them in a container in the same fashion as the peppers above.
Green Onions – Wash and trim. Lightly dry them off. Then wrap loosely in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag.
Regular onions can be peeled, cut in halves or quarters, wrap pieces in aluminum foil, and place in a large yogurt container. They will keep if kept cold and will not smell up your fridge.
Tomatoes – the best approach I’ve had is to cut them to your liking and place them in sour cream or yogurt container using paper towel pieces on the bottom and the top. I’ve done this because quite often I can’t eat them fast enough.
Of course, you can search online and find dozens of suggestions to try. The above works well for me.
When I’m ready to create my salad, I just tear up some lettuce, add mushrooms, chop a bit of pepper and onion, feta cheese, top with tomatoes, and add the dressing of choice.
You can certainly add radishes, different mushrooms, meat, nuts and seeds, and any other items of choice. I like to add some of those nut and raisin mixes, croutons, and even fruit.
The point is to make it easy to enjoy a fresh salad and not throw anything away because it went bad!
Let me know any tips or tricks you might have on our Facebook page. Most of all – enjoy your fresh salad!
No matter what you call it, or how you feel about it, being prepared feels GREAT! As we discuss in our Sunday Snacks today, prices fluctuating, news that can’t help but put us on edge, supply chain issues still occurring with no real end in sight, and so much more, Sam and Ellie share their philosophies about preparedness!
We’re not talking about long-term storage as much as 3 months, 6 months, or up to a year. For instance, if you’d begun adding to your pantry last fall and through the winter, the savings on those items, if you had to purchase them today, would most certainly help your budget.
We’ve discussed in other posts how to get started. You can visit our blog page for more information. You can also join our email list and receive a pdf with tips and lists to start your 30-day food supply.
If you like to read the transcript of the video below,CLICK HERE.
Key Tips for Why Preparedness Can Be Satisfying
No panic.
When you see a store with empty shelves, especially items that you use regularly, you’ll be prepared. Always purchase a few items to keep in your pantry staples.
Less worry.
Price fluctuations won’t be so worrying, especially if you were smart enough to purchase ahead when prices were less expensive.
Calm.
When you know you can care for yourself and/or your family, the latest headlines won’t feel so frightening.
Family action.
When the family works together to be prepared, there’s a sense of “We’ve got this” rather than fear.
Sense of community.
If you have an elderly or needy neighbor, you may be able to help.Note of caution: do NOT broadcast about your food storage. Just know you can quietly help if you so choose.
In the video, Sam shares how pleasantly surprised she was to learn that her kids are much more aware and knowledgeable about being prepared than she realized. In recent storms, her daughter did an amazing job of taking leadership at their Scout Camp. And her son takes personal responsibility in noticing and noting on the grocery list when they need to add items to their storage. If you think about it in the same way you would plan for a trip, you’ll soon discover that it’s not as difficult as you might have feared.
It’s never too late to start. Add an extra item or two with each shopping trip. Think about items you use every day and figure out ways to add an extra for your pantry storage.
Find ways to add calm and a sense of satisfaction by being prepared.
One other thought: knowing you have a little extra means that you can quietly help a neighbor or family member through tough times. For instance, if a couple of elderly friends are having a tough time, knowing that you have a couple of cans of food that you can share, or even a prepared meal that you can walk over to them, is worth way more than the price of the food.
We’re here to help. Have a specific question? Give us a shout. Send us a message on FB if you like. But get started!
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100 years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
It’s storming outside. The electric has gone out. There has been area flooding. Your water system is either not working properly or the water is contaminated. What do you do while you wait for the storm to end and the flood waters to recede? Even if the water is available soon, it most likely won’t be safe to drink right away.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
In today’s Sunday Snacks with Sam and Ellie, we share our personal thoughts and suggestions. We don’t have all the answers. We’re working on these solutions ourselves. But we’d like to offer some tips and ideas to get you thinking about your own situation. Our goal? To keep you and your family prepared for just such emergencies.
In our video we share some of the following:
Your hot water tank has potable (drinkable) water. It’s the same water that goes to your kitchen sink (and bathroom, etc)
Products such as LifeStraws™ can help you if you have contaminated water or live near a stream that you can use
If you’re in an area that floods a good deal, there is a bladder (plastic bag) that fits a bathtub. You can fill this with water to use in an emergency.
You can also use household bleach (unscented) to sanitize your water.
Interestingly, if you’ve started your 30-day food supply, the liquid in canned fruits and vegetables can also quench your thirst or be used in preparing meals.
And don’t forget your pets … they’ll need water, too!
PLEASE NOTE: Ellie incorrectly makes a comment about using bleach for sanitizing water. CLICK HEREfor the link to the EPA that explains the amount and use of chlorine bleach to correctly sanitize your water.
CLICK HERE to read the transcript while listening to the tape.
Preparation IS Security
We are sharing our tips and ideas – not to frighten you – but to encourage you to consider your own location and situation and to prepare accordingly.
You know we love to hear from you – your ideas, tips, and yes, even your questions.
In the meantime, think ahead and be safe!
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100 years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
Well, good morning. Good morning. Happy Sunday Snacks with Sam and Ellie. Today, because we’ve been talking about preparedness, we’re here to talk to you about pantries – your home pantry and food storage. One of the things that are near and dear to my stomach is obviously having food on hand, your budget, and being able to make food efficiently. And when I say efficiently, I mean like cost and taste, its taste is very crucial. No savings if nobody eats it.
Let’s Talk Food Storage
No matter the size of your home, there’s room to create a pantry to store food to feed your family in an emergency situation that could include power outages, storms, food shortages at the grocery store, etc.
Ellie lives in an apartment, She uses a couple of shelves on a bookcase, and under her bed storage. Sam has a home where she uses a small closet (actually a bit smaller than the one in the photo) and in her basement.
But there are a number of places where you can find a place to store some food supplies as well as toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, and other items you use frequently around your home. A shelf or two in your laundry room will work. Remember, they can be placed a bit higher because you won’t be reaching for items as frequently. Another spot, under beds. You can take milk crates and stack them to use for storage or place boards on them to give you even more space. A small corner that isn’t useful for anything could have a small shelf for storage. Get creative, look around and see what spot might be perfect for a few items that will add to your sense of preparedness.
To read the transcript while listening to our video, CLICK HERE.
TIPS:
If you haven’t really started a pantry for emergencies, start small.
Keep items that you know your family will eat.
Purchasing an extra condiment, spice, pasta, flour, sugar, non-fat milk, water, and canned goods for the pantry is a great place to begin. Then when you use your backup, replace it in the pantry.
Sam shares a great point – rehydrating your dried beans in boiling water will have them ready to eat faster.
Ellie shares her best tip by encouraging you to use Google search for recipes:
type in a couple of items you have on hand – add the words ‘easy recipe’ – and see what you discover
Added later– if power is out, you can use an outdoor grill or Sterno fuel, etc. to heat up water or cook items. Not as convenient, but it will help. Do a search to learn more and be safe.
Again, start small. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll create a pantry that works for your family.
A small pantry can be of enormous help when you need it!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. And sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
No matter what you call it, or how you feel about it, being prepared feels GREAT! As we discuss in our Sunday Snacks today, prices fluctuating, news that can’t help but put us on edge, supply chain issues still occurring with no real end in sight, and so much more, Sam and Ellie share their philosophies about preparedness!
