National Chicken Month – How will you celebrate? 4 tips to get you started



National Chicken Month - photo courtesy Metro Parent Magazine

I came across an article in the MetroParent magazine (August 2012) that indicated September is National Chicken Month. I don’t believe my kids read this article. However, I believe they inadvertently honored this month by living out the story of The Little Red Hen.

 

As mother hen, I have two teenage boys who occasionally complete their chores without being asked. Rare occasions. The majority of the time I have to beg them to get things done. The scenario plays out as follows:

 
“Who will help me fold the towels?” I asked

“Not me,” said Joshua.

 

“I did it last time,” said Donovan.

 

“Surely you will,” I said to Joshua. “You use more towels in one week than Kohl’s has sales.”

 

“Donovan is better at it than I am.”

 

“Then I will fold them myself.”

 

As the story goes, there were other tasks that needed to be completed and no one wanted to help. Until finally…it was dinner time and the kids wanted something from me.

“Can we order pizza for dinner?” Joshua asked in his wee baby bear voice. And that’s a whole different fairy tale.

“I think not my child. As head of this hen house I’ve had to wash, dust, clean toilets and fold towels. I have not had a vacation, the pay is low and you have not helped with anything.”

 

“Can we order pizza tomorrow?”

 

Obviously my way of communicating was not effective. The words were coming out of my mouth, but they were not being interpreted as I hoped. The chores were eventually done, although it took longer than I wanted.

Since learning about National Chicken Month, the kids and I have decided to celebrate. How can you join in? Below are a few ways.

1. Read a book (chicken themed) with your child – Chicken Little, The Little Red Hen or Big Chickens (Leslie Helakoski-local author-Michigan).

 

 

2. Try a new chicken recipe. I made Sesame Chicken for the first time thanks to a recipe listed in Metro Parent. Yum. There were also recipes listed for Corn Flake Crusted Chicken, Chicken Enchiladas, Soba Salad with Chicken & Cabbage and a few others.

 

3. Make a chicken craft – hand print chicken craft (see below).

 

 

4. Make up a chicken story – for older kids challenge them to create their own story or have them create a different ending to a selected story.

 

Do you have a chicken story to share or an idea for celebrating National Chicken Month?