Do you let your kids help in the kitchen?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Do you allow your children to help you cook in the kitchen or do they have to stay out? If they are allowed to help, how old are they and what are they able to help with?

[mamab]

My oldest son, who just turned 10, loves to help me cook. In fact, he'll do some cooking on his own. I let him cook, with my supervision.

[Bilby]

I quite often call one to stir a pot if I'm covered in breadcrumbs, they quite often peel carrots and potatoes. ds1 like to say on any given sunday, Ineed to make a cake mum. ds1 helps me crumb the food, I do the flour and egg and he does the crumbs.
If they wish to help they can go for it.
On the other hand if they are being silly and come into the kitchen (usually as a pair) I kick them out as the kitchen is not a play area when I'm cooking.
I'll take help when I can get it! LOL

[ajrsmom]

I have been trying to get my kids in the kitchen more.

They both love to help cook. :)

I hate to say it but there are a lot of times when I just don't have the time nor patience for it. :o

We make a lot of breakfasts and desserts together.

[barbszy]

Not as much as I should!!

My daughter especially likes to help cook. She is 11. She likes making treats best. She can make a spaghetti dinner (using sauce & meatballs that I made in advance and froze).

My 15-year-old son can make French toast, fried eggs, fried pork roll sandwiches. So he can survive on breakfast if he has to! LOL!

Luke at 5 is still in the "measure and dump" stage. He also likes to help "mix." I don't let him near the stove.

And if you're in my kitchen, you may chat or you may help. You may not horse around. I have a little kitchen and there's just no room for that!

[megray]

My kids are not only allowed to help but required to help!

When they were little (3 or 4) they used to sit on the bench and measure and tip. Now, at 12 and 15, they are both capable of creating a meal, although they usually only cook main or dessert, not both on the same night! They can both cook a cake or biscuits (cookies) from scratch.
I figure that the messy years are worth it when they are young for the benefits as they grow up.

[cat lover]

It really makes a difference. Both my boys can really cook if they want or have to. My DH had to "learn" himself when I was working second shift when the boys were small and he had to prepare supper for him and the boys. He still can't do lots of things though and really asks some "dumb" questions when I have him "help" in the kitchen! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

My kids are not only allowed to help but required to help!

When they were little (3 or 4) they used to sit on the bench and measure and tip. Now, at 12 and 15, they are both capable of creating a meal, although they usually only cook main or dessert, not both on the same night! They can both cook a cake or biscuits (cookies) from scratch.
I figure that the messy years are worth it when they are young for the benefits as they grow up.



That was my philosophy when I was raising my children. My mother's mother never allowed her kids in her kitchen. She was a neat-freak. She kept her furniture covered in plastic. I remember my grandmother grabbing my coffee cup out of my hand as I finished the last drop of my coffee so that she could wash it. As a result, my mother didn't know how to cook when she got married. My dad had to teach her how to cook as his mother made her kids help kill the hog, cook the meal, and help with the dishes.

I wanted to cook as early as I could remember. I begged my mother to let me stir and things like that when she was cooking. She would not let me help her. I remember watching, "The Galloping Gourmet." I LOVED that show. At about the age of 2, I waited for my parents to go to sleep so that I could sneak into the kitchen and "cook." My parents often woke up to a batter of eggs, milk, and flour on the floor! My mother soon learned that is was easier to just to teach me to cook! By the time I was a teenager, I was cooking all the meals for the family.

[Barb]

yes the girls helps me in the kitchen. When they ask to help I find something to do. Been down that trail with my oldest daughter wanted to help and I was wanted her to enjoy and not be in the kitchen so much.
Now at being grown she doesn't enjoy cooking that much
so with the other 2 girls yes I will let them help.
they have washed and set the table
help getting the measurespoons and measuring things
stir things
pour things
help mix things
and many other things that I think they can do

then even help clear the table and with the dishes.

I have even used Math as we measure things good learning lessons

sometimes it getting something out of the icebox for me or puttting it away.
I just find something.. as this is family time and girls needs to learn but so does boys.
My son who is grown knows how to cook because I allow him to help me in the kitchen.

[mamab]

I feel it's my responsibility to teach them their way around a kitchen. There's no saying they're going to get married right away, and they're certainly not staying home with hubby and I until they're 30! So, they'd better learn how to feed themselves!!

[cau]

I've always encouraged them to help. My own 3 never liked it , just did as much as required. My dgd loves it , hass been helping since she was 2. At 10 can easily make a cake or brownie mix on her own, pizza on muffins & hotdogs & egg mcmuffins. We recently started making muffins from scratch and she loves to help actual dinner making. She also loves The Food Channel.

[echos]

My kids are great cooks, and often prepare the meals themselfs. They have been taught well!LOL