Who Is This Kid?

Mason's postcard

My son Mason is 12 years old. For the most part, he is a normal 12 year old boy who is strong willed, determined, obstinate, and can be a real pain in the butt for his dad and I. He loves to play video games, ride his BMX bike and skateboard, he skis and snowboards, and of course he cooks. When it comes to cooking, he's quite exceptional. He loves to perform and he can rock a live cooking demo or television performance like a seasoned professional. Last year he had the opportunity to compete on Chopped Junior on Food Network and he won, holy cow, he won!

Our hometown has been so excited to have a Chopped Junior Champion on the map that our local Max's Restaurant asked if he would put one of his recipes on their menu and he went with his spicy street taco from the show. Last night Mason was scheduled to be at the restaurant to meet and greet diners, talk about the show and see how they liked his tacos. I expected him to chat with people as he's quite outgoing but I did not expect what I saw last night, not at all.

Mason had dinner with the restaurant manager and people walked up to the table to talk to him as he was wearing his CJ chef coat so they knew who he was. When he finished eating, he washed his hands, grabbed his postcards and started working the room. He walked up to each table in the lounge and then he made his way to the dining room. I tried to get in behind him to take a photo or two, but I was intercepted by diners asking if I was Mason's mom. By the time the night was done, so many people had come in to see him, he signed photos, took pictures, and answered questions about cooking and competing on CJ. One of the people who came in to meet Mason was a young man with autism, Mason made that child feel like a million bucks! I was so proud of my child last night.

When the night was over and we were getting ready for bed, I asked Mason what he said to people in the dining room when he walked up to the tables. He replied, "I just walked up and said, Hi, welcome to Max's. I'm Mason Partak. I'm guest cheffing and my spicy street tacos are on the menu this month." WOW! WOW! I can't imagine having such a sense of myself at 12 years old. Now I know why people were stopping me and complimenting me. The truth is this though, Dave and I cannot take all the credit for who Mason is, to a large degree our kids are who they are and it is up to us as their parents to either foster those qualities or squash them. Are you tuned in as a parent? I think being older parents has really served us and obviously, it's been good for Mason, too.

Tune in to your kids, listen to who they are and then find ways to support them to be more of that. Be okay when that changes and when then want to explore different things in life, you will be so glad you did when you see your kid step up and as someone said last night, "live on purpose" at the ripe old age of 12 years old.

The Power of Intention

New York, Central Park August 2015

Mason is just 12 years old, but he has spent all those 12 years watching and hearing me talk about the power of intention. He hears me frequently say, "Whatever you think, you're right!" It's my favorite quote. Even though Mason will squawk about something being difficult or life not being fair, I know he understands that his thoughts guide his actions which in turn, create the immediate outcomes for his life. I say immediate because contrary to popular belief, changes can happen in an instant. It is a combination of immediate outcomes that when they come together make a successful future.

While Mason and I were in NY for the Chopped Junior competition, we talked a lot about what an honor it was to just be invited to compete on Food Network. The morning of the competition Mason and I had a little chat in our hotel room. I said to him, "You know Mason, I am completely confident that you have everything you need to win this thing. You have practiced and studied, you have the skills. With that said, more than anything I want you to understand that it is cool just to be here and to have fun today." He hugged me and we went down to breakfast. We met the other kids and their moms and the staff in the hotel restaurant moved a little 2 person table to the end of an eight foot table and Mason and Hannah's mom sat at the little table. During breakfast Mason playfully announced, "Hey, there is 100% chance that the Chopped Junior champion is sitting at this table." All the kids chuckled and nodded and Mason added, "No, this table" as he placed both hands on the little table only he (as one of the kids) was sitting at. They all laughed but I got it, it gave me chills the way he calmly spoke with such conviction - he absolutely set his intention and went on to win the competition. Coincidence? Some would say yes, but not me.

Our kids absolutely mirror what they see, and they see more of us as their parents than other people, especially at younger ages. Mason is now starting to spend more time socializing with other people in other environments and he will often tell me, "Mom, they don't think like we do." That pleases me that he gets how much power he has to control his life, and I'm sure to also share that the things he can't control, he can control how he reacts to and what his next action is. That is just as important in the manifestation process, don't you think?

The Food Network

This may sound obvious, but if you want to be in the cooking/food profession, I can't imagine you are not watching many different shows they air. Everything from food trucks, to strange food from foreign countries, to Cupcake Wars, and Ace of Cakes. There is virtually something for everyone.

I love the Food Network and though I know it is "show business" and for entertainment purposes, not everything you see is the way it really is. My thought is just that there is so many things you can pursue in the world of pastry and baking. Watching cooking/baking shows is a good way to learn and be inspired. Anytime you can find inspiration, that's a good day!

For more information and scheduling of so many wonderful programs, visit FoodNetwork.com