When I was a little girl, my kitchen time was limited. My mom wasn't allowed in the kitchen with her mom, and so she didn't let me, at least on a regular basis. Oh, we made Christmas cookies together, and I remember standing on a chair to 'stir' scrambled eggs, but cooking wasn't a regular activity for me, at least when I was little.
Cooking is really educational, though, and I think it's fun, so I've always tried to set up special 'projects' for the kids and I to do together. They help me often, but there have been few dishes where I felt that I could really turn it over to them.
A few days ago, however, my Big Helper and I were cooking together when I realized that I had been reading the recipe and telling her what to do - when she's a really great reader. I realized that it's time for her to read the directions for herself and to start to learn those cooking terms.
Maybe it's time for us to start being a cooking team instead of just having a parent-kid project time.
A few days ago we made taco wontons together, and she did a great job. It was loads of fun seeing her put her own spin on things!
So tonight we embarked on this new endeavor. Starting small, you understand, as she's never cracked an egg or read a recipe on her own.
She made her own Jiffy cornbread muffins. Read the recipe, measured the ingredients, cracked her own egg - even turned on the oven. (I did put stuff in and out of the oven - she IS only six.)
She did a great job, and we had the chance to talk about fractions and how to crack an egg. She was SO proud of herself!
I'm definitely going to ask her to cook with me more often, and I'm happy that she's so excited to do it. Being able to cook - even basic things - is a skill that she'll need someday.
I'm happy to be able to teach her and to see her grow along the way.
Watching her dress-up to cook makes me laugh, too. This is going to be fun!
Do you allow your kids in the kitchen? What sort of things do they make?
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