I woke up much later than I wanted to this morning, and as a result, I was feeling rushed from the second I got up.
So when I was making breakfast and Number 4 bounced into the kitchen and asked,
“Mommy! CAN I HELP?”
I immediately said…
“NO.”
I was trying to make banana bread and get sh*t done so I could get my run in.
She was persistent.
I started to get annoyed.
Then I thought about that post I wrote about trying to say YES more often.
Or even ever.
So, I told her she could put the liners in the muffin tins and put some cream cheese on the bagels.
She did a good job.
I thought that would appease her.
Silly me.
She wanted to help with the muffins.
“Can’t I mix the dry stuff, Mom?”
I just wanted to hurry up and get them made.
I automatically said no.
Again.
Then I thought about that YES post.
Again.
Ugh.
I let her mix the dry stuff.
I took deep breaths as she flung flour all over the kitchen.
I showed her how she could maybe hold the spoon differently.
You don’t realize how much practice it takes to stir something effectively and efficiently until you watch your 7-year-old trying to do it.
All of a sudden, my viewpoint changed.
She wasn’t annoying me.
She was learning from me.
And I was teaching her.
We were sharing a moment.
Making a memory.
“Mom, I want to learn how to do this so if I’m ever on Top Chef I can be the person in charge of the kitchen.”
Pretty decent goal.
So I let her finish it out.
She mixed.
She measured.
She poured.
She smiled.
She scooped.
She also tasted and licked pretty much everything she came into contact with (we will work on the cooking sanitation guidelines next time).
Finally, she enjoyed.
And she shared.
The muffins were really good.
In fact, Number 4 did so well I think I am only one or two more baking sessions away from her being able to make them all by herself.
In twenty or so years, she just may be ready for Top Chef.
All in all, it was about a 20 minute investment.
I’ve got myself an apprentice, and Number 4 has a memory that may last a lifetime.
I’d say that’s a pretty fair trade.
Very fair trade.
And I think licking is required by all the best chefs.
Or maybe just me.
love it. I have gotten out of the habit of having my daughter (not quite 3) cook with me in the evenings. I’ve been sitting her in front of the TV so I can get it done faster.
Time to stop that. She loves it and it’s time together I won’t get back.
🙂
Thank you.
LOVE this. MY daughter wants to help all the time (and is a fan of Cutthroat Kitchen, Chopped, and Top Chef). She now makes her own breakfast easily wihtout a big mess. When she was little she’d ask if we could make a kitchen mess (aka bake). Now we cook a bit together and the mess is a lot less. She helps with the traditional sweet potato pies in the fall and so many more things. 🙂 As for the tasting bit she always asks if she can taste it before/as she mixes. I say yes, and she quickly learns about spices, and ingredients – especially how some are gross and others are not but how they can combine to make something amazing. I need this reminder now that school is starting back up as being a teacher in a new grade level I kknow time will be a factor in the evenings but I will do my best to keep saying YES
The only way I have ever found to get my 5 year old to try new foods willingly was to let her watch Master Chef Junior. She then wanted to taste everything I made as long as I “presented my dish” and she could judge me and send me to the balcony or send me home.