I’m Learning How To Become An Adult

Number 4 has always had an interest in cooking and baking.

Even with a broken elbow, she wanted to be in on the action.

Allowing your kids to help in the kitchen when they are young can be really frustrating and at times, excruciating.

But at some point, you get a major return on your investment.

I am receiving a return on my investment right now.

Big time.

The other day Number 4 came into my office as I was working on the computer, and she said,

“Mom? I’m bored. Can I make dinner?”

Those are probably the most glorious words to have ever escaped any of my children’s lips.

Her favorite meal is one pot pasta primavera with shrimp. It’s from the Cook90 Cookbook — which I love.

She’s a pretty proficient baker, but she hasn’t really cooked entire dinners before.

No time like the present.

I let her go for it.

She did great! She even made a non-shrimp version for her vegetarian sister.

Today she asked if she could make dinner again.

I showed her what was on the plan:

(From the Cook90 Cookbook again.)

She said, “I really like that one. Maybe you should make it.”

She was afraid she’d screw it up.

I was sitting here in my office where I am writing this post right now.

“How about if you get all the stuff ready for me while I finish up what I’m doing here?” I asked her.

“Oh, you want me to do all the not fun stuff?” she asked.

“Exactly,” I told her.

“Okay!” she said.

She got all the ingredients together with a little assistance.

“Mom?” she would call from the kitchen.

“Do we have sesame oil?”

“Do we have sesame seeds?”

“Do we have… scallions?”

She had never experienced scallions on the cooking end. Only on the eating end.

I showed her where they were and which part was the part to cut up.

“Mom, am I doing this right?” she called from the kitchen. “Are these pieces too big?”

She was cutting them one at a time with a steak knife.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

So we had a little lesson in how to chop scallions.

I showed her how to use a large knife and not chop her fingers off.

She did great. Again.

And she was feeling really empowered. And proud.

And she said to me,

“MOM. I’m learning how to become an adult.

I’m… ADULTING.”

Yes, she is.

It’s a little bit hard to see her enter this phase in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Just about overnight.

But boy am I glad I let her help out in all those torturous, Mom, can I help situations when she was little.

Because while it’s making my life a little easier now, it’s going to make her life a whole lot better later.