Whether you’re a stay at home parent, or one who works 9 – 5, it sometimes seems as if it’s hard to spend real quality time with our children. You may be running errands, speeding to the next piano lesson, or soccer practice, and your to-do list seems to have no end.
Cooking with your child is one of the best ways to not only spend time with them, but to also inspire a love of healthy and delicious foods.
You may be thinking to yourself…
“I would love to, but I really just want to get in and out the kitchen so I can finish everything else I have to do.”
I get it! Sometimes adding children to the mix will also add mess, and more time. I bet you can already see the mess on the walls and on the floor… yikes!
But that’s ok! This is where relationships are developed and where quality time turns into quality memories. I still remember cooking with my dad, and the fun times we had in the kitchen when I was a youngster.
So where do you start??
Start with getting rid of any expectations, and any belief that it may be a disastrous experience. Then move on to believing that it will be both fun, productive, and time well spent. Lastly, make sure that your environment is child friendly and you have all the necessary tools for the little hands that will be helping you.
Yes, the first thing we want to get rid of are ANTS! “Any Negative Thoughts.” And not just on this subject, but regarding anything in life.
I heard this little saying from Jim Kwik, and I’ve applied to all my thoughts since then.
Because really…
“Whether you tell yourself you can or that you can’t…. either way, you’re right!”
Henry Ford
So it’s important that you dismiss any negative thoughts from the onset. Now that we’ve gotten rid of the ants lurking in our head when we start to think about cooking with our children, let’s talk about WHY we should be cooking with our children.
Joyous Reasons Why:
Memories
As we said before, it’s one of the best way to build lasting memories.
Attitudes
It encourages children to have a good attitude about food… even if they don’t eat it. Children are sensory motivated, and learn about the world around them through their own senses. Touching, tasting, and seeing how food is prepared will help them to develop a good attitude towards trying new foods and healthy nutrition in general.
Confidence
Cooking is a confidence builder!
Parenting is hard work, and one of our top priorities is to ensure that we are raising resilient and confident individuals. Cooking with your children, while demonstrating patience, shows them that you respect them, values their presence, and are confident in their abilities. Involve your children in cooking and watch how their confidence and self-esteem will blossom.
Cooperation
In any given recipe there are steps to be taken. Cooking with your children will increase their ability to cooperate and follow simple tasks. As a chef in your kitchen, your little one will be sharing some of your responsibilities.
Maybe they will be responsible for mixing together the ingredients, or washing the fruits and vegetables. Whatever it may be, the two of you will be cooperating within the space. Make it fun, build memories, and strengthen their ability to cooperate with others.
Creativity
Cooking inspires creativity!
Have you ever accidentally created a masterpiece in the kitchen? Accidentally added an extra ingredient or substituted for something that wasn’t in your pantry? While you thought it was going to ruin the dish… it turned out to be awesome!
Having an open mind while in the kitchen can really inspire creativity. Ask your child what they want to make as a snack one day, and see what they say. Mind you… they may say they want a grilled cheese sandwich with peanut butter and jelly! 🙂
Cooking with your children is important for so many reasons, and its something that I encourage you to do. It can really be a joyous experience!
You really only need to add a little bit of extra attention, and time and I guarantee you will be on your way to laughing and learning in the kitchen. So take a deep breathe, get rid of any ANTs, and get cooking!
