Cooking with Your Kids

Cooking with my kids is one of my favorite things to do with them. I personally enjoy cooking and love that I can share that with them. Plus, I am getting the opportunity to teach them a skill that will make life outside of our home that much easier.

I have involved my kids in cooking since they were tall enough to see over the counter with a stool. Now, my oldest is 14 and can follow a recipe and make dinner for our family of 7. You can imagine how helpful that is when our other 3 have soccer practice in the evening and we’re running them around. To come home to a prepared meal is a huge help!

Something that we started to do about 4 years ago was having the boys pair up and cook dinner, then the other 2 are in charge of cleanup. They do this one night per week (when time allows). They get to pick what we have for dinner and if there will be any dessert. Then we talk about what will need to be picked up at the grocery store. I love this because not only are they learning how to cook but they are also learning about working together, cooperation, and team work.

I remember when my husband and I first started dating and he was telling me that his kids were being annoying because they wouldn’t leave him alone while he was trying to make dinner. I told him to enlist their help! Have them set the table, or stir something together. You can start small. Kids love to help and be involved in what you are doing. It’s a good opportunity to bond and they learn valuable life skills at the same time.