I'm a great Mom! Ok so some days I do way better than others, but I always turn the beaters off and whoever has helped, gets to lick a spoon. In my kids' eyes that makes me fabulous, everybody wins.
My kids all love to help in the kitchen and while it is often much harder to have the 'help' than to just get the job done quickly and easily, I love that they enjoy it so much. Of course my younger-mom-self had a lovely romanticized view of what cooking with kids would be, how fun and playful, yet of course a perfect learning opportunity, with measuring and math and yummy results.
The reality was that all three kids wanted to help, there would be the inevitable squabbles, spills and mess, while I would try to pretend to be having the fun I so desperately wanted to be having, inwardly (maybe, sometimes outwardly, I'm ashamed to admit) frustrated and impatient. Yes, cooking with an eighteen month old was hard work.
Now, however the kids are older. It's amazing what a difference it makes. I also, after moving to our much smaller quarters, implemented the rule that only one child could cook with me at a time. They get one on one time and attention, there's nobody else to fight with, they feel much more responsible and accomplished and most importantly, I get to be much calmer and can actually enjoy the process again.
Last week, my youngest and I baked 3 dozen oatmeal chocolate chip muffins to take to her brother's class for an event. She did great, I did great, the muffins turned out great!
Don't give up if you've tried to involve your kiddo and it seemed too hard. I promise it gets easier the older they get and the more often they're allowed to help. You can do it!
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