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Involving your youngster in cooking family meals or special desserts may take a little more time and effort than just doing it yourself. But the rewards outweigh the work both for you and your child.
Whether it is helping to wash the car or assisting in cooking the evening meal, a child will learn best by doing. It is sad, but I have seen several young adults without a clue when it comes to finding their way around a kitchen. I’m not saying that we should teach our kids to become the next television chef. But it would be nice to know that they could follow the directions to make pancakes or bake a special birthday cake when needed.
Aside from the benefit of teaching a life skill to take into their adult life, cooking with kids can also be a very special time of bonding. Mother can use the time to connect with a son or daughter just by baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies together. Dads may get some special one-on-one time with the kids by involving them while flipping the burgers or turning the hotdogs on the grill.
Cooking with kids can also provide a sense of accomplishment and pride for the child. Knowing that they are giving of themselves and their time in service to others can be a very special thing. So when your teenager or pre-teen has the “I’m bored” blues, help them to do something good for someone else by cooking. Who knows, you may help form the next great television chef… Or you may just help form a healthier, more confident child. Either way, the reward far outweighs the effort.
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