“I believe the children are our future; teach them well and let them lead the way…”
E-vo-lu-tion: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form
synonyms: development, advancement, growth, rise, progress, expansion, unfolding
This is not about me. Well, maybe a little: for those who don't know me from Adam, I am a passionate educator with a fairly extensive background in the food biz, many years of dance and yoga, a Fine Arts degree, ETC. (see more at LinkedIn, if you so choose) I won’t bore you here with the whole, long saga of How It All Began, or how I’ve been fairly out of the picture for the last several months, Substitute teaching and studying Nutrition, but suffice it to say that I’m in this for the long haul: I am determined to Make a Difference and the best way I know of to Help Humanity (the underlying mission here) is to educate and improve (theoretically) the way we are eating and living as a [global] society. Pretty heavy, eh? Well, yes, it’d be nice to have some fun in the process, too, so I figure since working and playing with kids (of all ages) is a favorite activity of mine, it makes sense for me to create an amazing program that will engage, entertain and enlighten them, right? Exactly. Build it and, well, you know…
After doing some volunteer cooking with the kiddos at my daughter’s school, a couple of moms asked me about doing a camp, to which I replied, “Sure, great idea!”
That was just a few short weeks ago, with the end of the school year nearing and while the impetus was to cook with the kids, I decided that I wanted to do something a bit more, well, interesting? I mean, if it was to be full days for a whole week, I felt that just cooking would get a bit tedious; life is about more than just eating, right? I believe that not only do we need to address the Food Thing to help create Happy, Healthy People, but lifestyle is where the meat is, so to speak.
I am pleased to tell you that I have designed my T.I.Kids Happy Healthy Campers sessions to do just that, providing a variety of great activities to learn about the balance of mind, body and spirit through food, movement and art while fostering an appreciation for community and ecology. Pretty cool, eh? And it’s all done with lots of love and laughter…
SO, with my usual flair for Insufficient Lead Time for promotion, I quietly did the first session in June in my home with a few, awesome T.I.Kids (Totally Intuitive Kids) and my daughter acting as my Lovely Assistant. (a total natural, she did a beautiful job.) We had a great time in this inaugural Session 1 as we danced, stretched, cooked, crafted…ok, maybe it wasn’t so quiet. ;) The very best part for me was when these wonderful children expressed remorse with the approaching end of the week together and their exclamations: “I can’t wait to do it again next summer!” Wow. Way to melt this increasingly-cynical heart. Their parents reported the kids actually telling them, “I am learning so much!” THAT’S what I’m talking about.
(“…show them all the beauty they possess inside…”) Truth.
In any event and in that same spirit of Evolution, I am really excited for the next sessions and further program development, hoping to do camps year-round, with better marketing (don’t worry; I’m farming it out ;) and, well, more advanced notice as I see some of these Super Organized Moms filling the kids’ summer calendars in December. (really. Blows my eleventh-hour mind.) Them: “It sounds great but when did you start advertising?” Me: “Oh, about 3 weeks ago. :/”
At this point, the bottom line is that, as far as this summer is concerned, this is an Awesome Opportunity for the Unfettered: those kids who aren’t booked solid for the duration and whose parents are looking for Something Different and Worthwhile to [affordably!] occupy their offspring for an otherwise screen-dominated week. I am offering an experience which will have long-lasting benefit; honestly, I wouldn’t bother if that weren’t the case. I’m not here to waste anyone’s time or money, including my own. Essentially, this is a gift you can give your children which will have real, meaningful impact on their lives. It’s why I’m here. Seriously.
Interested? I have space and the Summer clock is quickly ticking! Info. and registration can be found here on the calendar page, tho' you should feel free to peruse the new site:
Thank you for reading…
Intuitively and Gratefully Yours,
- Marissa J.
