Adventures in Drool: The love correction

As parents we adore our children. It is our job, and it is why babies come with such adorable big eyes and sweet little hands and feet.

If babies weren't so adorable ... well for all the work we do for them, we would probably still love them.

Love is essential in any family, but can parents love too much?

I have met children who may be the victim of over-love. Yes, we love them, but that does not mean we bend to their every whim. Children need to learn that the world contains good and bad.

The recent bombings at the Boston Marathon are one example. We have to be able to openly communicate the bad in the world to our children, so that when they are later confronted with bad news, they understand it exists.

If children grow up thinking the world revolves around them and their needs, they will have a really hard time adapting to the way society operates - with some getting more than others, and not everything being about fairness.

By telling kids no we are actually helping them find ways to cope with not getting what they want.

The kids who only hear yes, will often throw tantrums and shut down all lines of communication when faced with a challenge or faced with something they don't understand.

Not everyone is the best at everything. We have to teach kids that it is OK to not be perfect; that it is OK to be sad or scared. Emotions are part of life, and as parents we need to be the first line for our child's emotional education.

Some ways to do this are to talk to kids about how they feel when told no. Explain the situation to them – they understand more than you know. When you experience a disappointment, show your child how to deal with it. Say, "mommy is disappointed and it makes her sad; but being around you, makes her happy." Or something along those lines. It can give them the confidence they need to try and fail.

For a quick weeknight pasta meal, check out this great recipe courtesy of The Realistic Nutritionist.

Shrimp Pasta with Homemade Cream Sauce Recipe

Serves about 6.

Prep time: 5 – 8 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

12 ounces shrimp, tails removed

8 ounces of pasta (I used linguine)

3 cups fresh spinach

5 ounces light cream cheese

1/4 cup crisp wine

3/4 cup shrimp or vegetable broth

1/4 cup light cream

1/3 cup parmesan

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 yellow pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Liberal dashes salt and pepper

Lemon zest

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to box. Rinse and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium size 3 quart pan over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and peppers and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add in wine, broth, cream, cream cheese and salt and pepper. Cook until mixture begins to thicken a bit, about 6 minutes. Stir in parmesan, lemon zest and additional salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

In a small pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook shrimp for about 2 – 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and add to cream sauce. Add spinach to the small pan and heat just until wilted, about 3 minutes. Toss spinach and shrimp with cream sauce.

Pour over pasta and enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving 1/2 cup serving:

Calories: 360

Fat: 12.3 grams

Carbohydrates: 33 grams

Fiber: 4 grams

Protein: 21 grams

Weight Watchers Points: 8

Have a great week!