Encouraging young Men to cook

So I shared my goal: Having the men in my life cook more.


Another great idea shared in this book by Anitra is making dinner bags.
Put all the canned/dried items you need in a bag and include the recipe.

It's a dinner kit with the ingredients inside. They will still have to gather items from the refrigerator, but if you are making "kits' make sure you have the other ingredients available too.

I like this idea a lot!
I mean, Spaghetti is a staple in our house. Put a can/jar of sauce + a package of noodles together. Easy kit! Taco Soup is another simple meal, with lots of pantry items.

It's a step in the right direction and might make the idea of "making dinner" less intimidating. They know they can grab the bag, and I'll have all the ingredients ready for them.


Some other simple cooking meals- my boys have made.
Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup ( from a can) * we have a grilled cheese maker
frozen lasagna
pot pies and rice
chili and rice (we lived in Hawaii for 8 years- this is how you eat chili Hawaiian style. But they could make corn bread if that is what your family prefers.)
cheese quesadillas
tacos (a step up- since you have to brown the meat and flavor it.)
BBQ sandwiches (browned meat + add BBQ sauce AFTER DRAINING MEAT + bun+ cheese)
Hot dogs cut into Mac n cheese
Baked potato bar (with cheese, sour cream, chili, steamed broccoli as toppings.)

It's a start. I would like them to advance into making HEALTHY meals, but we are starting small. Cooking anything is a big step!

4 FALL/ WINTER Books for Boys Who Are Man Training

I found Heather- over at Gricefully Homeschooling. com.
She has an amazing site- but the post that won me over was her list of books for her 10 year old son.

10 Books for Boys Who are Man Training

What a GREAT idea!
Up to this point in my mission to encourage my sons (reluctant readers) to read- I have focused on just getting them to read ANYTHING!

Be it the back of a cereal box, a cheat book for their favorite game, a recipe while they try to make chocolate chip cookies... a book based on a movie they like... a book that is about a sport they enjoy... kid friendly magazines.... etc...

I love that Heather has raised the bar.
She is seeking out books- that will help her sons-- develop into men.

So love this.
(especially as a mother of 4 boys.)

So... what books have I found that should make this list?
Heather has a few I am unfamiliar with, but on her list is the Narnia Series.
We've read a few of those books.

Swiss Family Robinson she also recommended. I don't know why our family has never read it! This was a family favorite Disney movie when my older boys were much younger. I am sure the book is a million times better.



 Heather's list was for 10 year old boys- My list is more for my 13 and 16 year old.


Here is my short list. Picked appropriately for Fall/Winter reading.

September is a great time to start some good school habits- for success.

First is a non- fiction by Steven Covey's son: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. (Steven Covey wrote the 7 Habit of Highly Effective People.) I read the adult version, again probably 10 years ago. I refer back to it often. It was a hard book to read cover to cover- I ended up buying the "workbook" companion and I would recommend the same for teens.




My 13 year old read and studied this book in his Jr High Study Strategies class! It has the same 7 habits- but applied to teenagers. There is a workbook also- that I bought my 16 year old. This book reads like a great mentor- helping young men see their power and potential in shaping their own futures. I love the principles these books teach- that we create our own reality. And the importance of perspective. (Not everyone sees things the way we see them.) I find that often the problem when trying to relate to my sons.. .the way "MOM interprets a situation" is very different than how my "teenage sons view the same situation". We have very different perspectives. (as you can imagine.)

October selection: The Sign of the Beaver.

We've read this book- and have done a book club- you can {click here} to see our activities. It is a great book to read-a-loud as a family- but really fits in this theme of becoming a man. After settling on their new homestead, Matt's father must return East to bring back his mother, sister, and newborn baby. He leaves thirteen-year-old Matt to care for the place- alone. The required journey should take less then two months, but ends up being twice that long. Matt, as you can imagine, grows up fast being on his own- learning to survive in the wilderness.


November selection: Endurance.


I read this book, probably 10 years ago. It is a true story. Historical. Happy Ending. Adventure. Strong- Manly Characters. Survival. What more does a 16 year old boy want?

And if you want to give your child some perspective and be grateful... the trials and hardships the men faced on their adventures- really makes you grateful for a warm bed at night and warm food! What astounded me was Shackleton's leadership. His life wasn't a financial success- but these men would follow the explorer Shackleton to the ends of the earth, cheerfully and with confidence. Shackleton has been described as a role model for leadership as one who, in extreme circumstances, kept his team together and survived the unbelievable. I found this book while searching on Amazon and found this additional book: Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons. This sounds soooo interesting. I haven't read this second book- but I want to!


December suggestion:




My last selection is a great book to be read around Christmas time- and for many people it is a tradition to read every year! The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke.  Is about a wealthy man who wanted the best of everything, for himself and his family. He surrounded himself with beauty and riches, and was very careful with how he spent his money. He gave to many charitable organizations- in fact many institutions in town were named after him! He felt comfortable and even self-righteous, until one night he dreamed that he died . . . Finding himself with a group of travelers dressed in white, John joins them on their journey to the Celestial City where each individual will be rewarded with a mansion based on treasures set aside. You can imagine his astonishment- when his heavenly mansion is no more than a shack! You'll have to read the book to find out why!


So that would be my line up.
4 great books.
My junior in High School came home and just said- he needs to bring a book to school to read every day- for the beginning of English. Perfect- I've got just the books to recommend!