Often I allow them to whip up pancakes (knowing the cleaning lady is coming that day and knowing I hate to fry so if I want my kids to know what pancakes are I better let my daughter make them!)
For our anniversary my daughters then 8 and 9 cooked a whole dinner for us, with menu cards, place cards, candles and all! For the last 2 years every week my 8 year old now almost 10 has been making the Challah, seriously. Of course with my guidance, but at this point she doesn't even need my help. She loves the attention she gets every Friday night when the guests say “wow this Challah is amazing……”
Often I have to bite my tongue and let them do things their way in the kitchen. I try and let my boys all under 8 do something in the kitchen if they beg: like mix the knaidlach, make their own egg omelets and of course braid their own little Challah. This all requires lots of patients on my end.
I was so excited last Thursday with the realization that I
actually enjoy cooking now with my girls in the kitchen. They are now 10 and
11. They can put away all the ingredients that they used. They can follow a
recipe nicely and we can all have fun. The best part is that they actually
helped me cook the things that I needed to make….one likes baking, the
other cutting and making the salad
dressings... perfect!
At one point I looked at them and said “girls I have
nothing left to cook for tonight!”
So for all of those women who don’t enjoy the kids puttering
around in your kitchen, chances are the time will come when you will enjoy the
benefits of it- so be patient and you will soon come to enjoy you r very own
sous-chefs!
Thanks for reading and Bitayavon!
I think it's great to let the kids help out in the kitchen. My son is 3 and I let him make pizza and cookies when my patience allows him to! He feels so good about himself and it's a nice way to have quality time together
ReplyDelete