By Tiffany MacKay
I love to cook. Baking, cooking, I enjoy anything to do with being in the kitchen. Food brings people together, and the kitchen is the heart of a home. It certainly is the heart of my home. Having two boys, I want to make sure that they know their way around the kitchen and I hope to pass on some of my love of creating food for the people around them.
Right now Iain is at that age where he either wants to help out with the chores around the house or do them himself. Since he is into helping, I have gotten into the habit of him helping me make our meals. This has become one of the highlights of my day and such a special moment in time to spend with him. This past weekend we baked for the first time together. He was a fantastic helper and the best part is that when Iain helps make it, I can be sure he will eat it! Cooking and baking with a two and a half-year old does require some adjustment in your normal routine. Here are some things I have learned:
- Expect a bigger mess than normal; just remember it can always be cleaned up
- To keep you and your kids from getting frustrated, let them help at the level they’re able to. For example, Iain helps me push buttons, pour ingredients into the bowl, or helps stir. I do the measuring, cutting, and use the oven and stove.
- Safety first as always. Iain sometimes thinks that he can help with everything and I use these moments to remind him that stoves and ovens are hot and knives can be dangerous.
- Use it as a learning experience. We use this time to count and look at the letters on the different ingredients and see what we can identify. As Iain gets bigger cooking and baking will be a great way to learn fractions and other math concepts.
As Iain can start taking a bigger role in creating food with me I can’t wait to see what ideas and concoctions he will make. Next up, getting Rogan into the mix, I think I might have him help squish together the ingredients for Chicken Salad in Ziploc bag.
I am always looking for ways to have my kids help me in the kitchen, is there anything special that you do to have your kids help you?
