As I was pulling into my kids’ school parking lot on the first day of school last year, probably later than I wanted to be arriving and rushing somewhat, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a father slowly and calmly fixing his daughter’s hair. There was something so sweet about it. Something about the vignette that said, we’re enjoying this parenting/growing up thing. I’ll admit it, my guilt kicked in, and I wistfully wanted to rewind an hour or two and introduce that level of calm into my house. I don’t remember what kind of morning we had — I actually think it was fine, but there’s always a lot going on, and it’s usually pretty lively, aka hectic (depending on the angle you’d like to take).

That sweet little scene popped into my head a handful of times over the course of the school year as I swung around the bends of the parking lot, forcing myself to slow down to enjoy and savor life, but also to kind of speed up so that I would be on time for a 9 a.m. meeting. At one point it hit me. Maybe to another mother watching me from the corner of her eye from the other side of the parking lot, my morning send-off looks just like the father-daughter scene. And if that’s the case, we can really put the guilt to rest, because parenting minus guilt would probably be even more enjoyable.

This week, we’re kicking off the school
year. Whether or not you’re sending kids off to school, it’s a benchmark kind of week for new beginnings and open opportunities. Let’s savor and enjoy them.

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

Oatmeal Cookies Aka Bus Stop Cookies (Bars)

• ¾ cup oil
• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Whisk first three ingredients together. Add eggs, whisking to combine. Then add the rest of ingredients. Pour it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes. Cut it into bars once it’s cool

Green Thumb in the Kitchen

A few months ago, I bought an Aero Garden for my kitchen. I don’t always have access to a variety of checked fresh herbs, so I enjoy having these on hand. If you start now, you can have them growing in full force by the time you’ll start cooking for Yom Tov! Another advantage is that you can grow herbs you personally like.

Note: Consult with your rav on whether or not you need to check hydroponic vegetables for bugs.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 808)