05 Mar 09 Cultivating Good Relations Can be Fun

Many people around the world spend much of their time cultivating good business relationships because they realize it’s importance. They may also do so in order to have good friends. However, it is often the family relationships that receive the least attention. So often teenagers attribute the lack of strong family relationships to their own personal problems. All too often people look to educational systems to teach their children what and how to think. The sad thing is that formal education will not necessarily improve relationships or reform society. Leadership skills, teamwork, personal growth and communication are learnt best in the home environment.

So many people are faced with the stress of a hectic lifestyle. Many parents are just focused on business and finding ways to survive from month to month. Others may be living a better balanced life with a more stable financial environment, but they are working equally hard just to maintain their present standard of living. Then there are many affluent people who just have so much on their plate that they too neglect their relationships. The truly successful people have learnt to make time for cultivating good relationships with those closest to them.

It isn’t always easy to find time to relax and enjoy some quality family time together. However any meal can be a fun experience if you turn it into a picnic. Even older children enjoy the opportunity to be ‘little’ again. If the weather isn’t warm and balmy, don’t despair, just picnic on the patio or even indoors (I’ve seen the rich and famous do it on television).

The secret is to choose foods that look and taste good, but are nutrious and easy to prepare. Make your shopping list and add some or all of the following items to your list. Fruit, chicken fillets, smoked fish, jello, yogurt, juice, cheese, vegetables such as carrots, baby potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, olives, dill cucumbers, pickled onions and a fresh wholesome loaf of bread. Remember that juice in individual containers will make things easier with no extra glasses required. For those who like sweets at the end of the meal, the jello, fruit and yogurt will usually be enough.

Now is your time to be creative. Find a blanket, basket, some colourful plates and bowls and anything else you think might add some interest. Put them all together in one place and you’ll be ready to rock and roll in no time. If you are thinking of inviting other family members or friends be sure to check on the best time for everyone.

The day or evening before your scheduled picnic you can wash the fruit and vegetables and put them into suitable containers. Slice cheese, fruit and vegegetables such as carrots. Lightly cook the baby potatoes and add some chopped parsley or basil. Jello can be made and refrigerated in individual bowls or just in a single container (keep in mind that individual servings are more convenient). Slice the chicken fillets into bite sizes and gently fry in a saucepan with some olive oil, a dash of soy sauce, honey and lime/lemon juice. Add any of your favourite seasoning to taste such as salt, pepper, ginger, garlic or oregano. Slice the bread and put into an airtight container.

On the day or evening of your picnic just gather all your favourite foods, pack them into the basket and go to your picnic spot. Spread out the blanket and arrange all the food to one side. Open the containers and let it be a help- yourself experience. As most of the food will be sliced and diced everyone can just use their fingers to pop the delicous food into their mouth. Alternatively a spoon for each person should do the trick. Here’s to a happy parenting experience, cultivating good relationships and having some fun.

The same can be done to spend some one-on-one-quality time with your spouse. If you have your picnic in the evening put some candles in empty glass containers. It looks really pretty and creates a lovely romantic atmosphere.

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Tags: Baby Potatoes, Balanced Life, Business Relationships, Cherry Tomatoes, Chicken Fillets, Cucumbers, Educational Systems, Family Relationships, Financial Environment, Formal Education, Good Friends, Green Beans, Hectic Lifestyle, Home Environment, Leadership Skills, Personal Problems, Pickled Onions, Quality Family Time, Sad Thing, Smoked Fish, Society Leadership, Strong Family

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05 Mar 09 Cultivating Good Relations Can be Fun

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