Do you let your kids help you in the kitchen?
By lynnemg
@lynnemg (4529)
United States
March 21, 2009 10:43pm CST
When my kids were younger, the rule was that they could not be in the kitchen when someone was cooking. Now that they are a bit older, I let them come in the kitchen and help me with little things. My daughter is 6; I let her do things like stir the food, or open cans, little things I know she can handle. My 11 year old has beentaught how to make simple things like macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, things like that. I let him do a bit more than my daughter. My 8 year old isn't one who wns to do much in the kitchen, but he does things like help me peel potatoes. I think that it is good to let kids help in the kitche because they end up learning how to cook for themselves when they are older.
Do you let your kids help yo in he kitchen? What sort of things do you let them do?
4 people like this
19 responses
@carrine (2743)
• Philippines
23 Mar 09
yes of course, my eldest son is already 14 years old, if the helper is on day off, then hes the one who will cook for breakfast, and he can manage it already coz i taught him how to do it.
@Ritchelle (3790)
• Philippines
23 Mar 09
actually, the closest thing my 3 year old child has to do with the kitchen is him bringing his plates to the sink. he takes pride in that and always lets me know when he had done it. one day i was eating cookies and i can't figure out where my plate was. i kept on looking and looking around and when i caught a glance at the sink i saw my plate in that special way a child puts it because they can't reach properly. sounds like my child doesn't want empty plates lying around. :)
@Ritchelle (3790)
• Philippines
25 Mar 09
it's one of those things i learned from the net. kids are not too young for chores. in my case, by the time my child is older it's going to be more than just bringing the plate to the sink. i really admire males who know a little chore or two.
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
22 Mar 09
yessssss my little girl loves to help me not only in the kitchen,all kind of work she likes it.jist like this afternoon she was helping me to sort her stuff in her room and yes its good for them so that when the grow up they will expert of doing something
@zhuhuifen46 (3483)
• China
25 Mar 09
I did not, but regret at a late date. There are children, either boys or girls, who are consciously learning doing things to upgrade their overall skills, so that when living by themselves, they do not complain about it and find life difficult.
They learn by watching to doing, from easy to tough. I have a relative, who saved his living expenses tremendously by cooking for roommates, when studying overseas. And he kept upfront in study, and in good relationship with people around.
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
23 Mar 09
My kids are all grown up now but when they were little, i always let them help out in the kitchen. My daughters love to cook now, and my sons especially the ones that are not married yet can cook for themselves, and do not need to depend on fast food for their meals. I always let them do what ever they felt that they wanted to do. When my grand kids come to visit, i always let them help out in the kitchen.
@wickedlysexy (56)
• Philippines
24 Mar 09
I have a six year old son who loves to eat and cook. He always says he wants to be a chef when he grows up. I let him do simple things in the kitchen as long as someone is guiding him. He can even cook up simple omelettes or scrambled egg. It is my way of encouraging him to continue on his dreams.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
25 Mar 09
I can't imagine my parents letting the kids in the kitchen. Not because they wouldn't love to let them help, but because they just don't have thoe room in the kitchen. I think that I get in there way when I try to help and they seem to get frustrated.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
23 Mar 09
Oh yes, my kitchen is the training ground for my children to prepare them for bigger things in life. Since my kitchen is an area of heavy traffic in my house I often spend a quarter of my 24/7 in the kitchen preparing food to feed a dozen mouths. I want my children to walk out of the house in future armed with the skills of cooking food as food is an important aspect in our life and to the hearts of men. This way I can teach them the fine arts of cooking which I am very good at. Children need to be exposed to helping around in the kitchen at an early age so they won't feel hopeless when it is their time to be on their own.
@GAUCI123 (1042)
• Malta
22 Mar 09
It is good to teach children to help in the kitchen, this will be useful to them to grow up indepoendent. My child is noly three yeaRS OLD ANd sometimes I let her to help me either making some muffin with faces. she really enjoys it and for her making simple things makes her feel important and special.
@Felicialessard1 (56)
• United States
23 Mar 09
Yes, my youngest just helped me with making a cake the other day. Depending on what I am doing, I will let my kids help out with the preparations but not with anything else.
My oldest learned how to make hot dogs on the stove just this past summer. My husband was starting them and he asked for him to teach him, so he did.
My kids know that they can't do it by themselves, unless it's the microwave and even then they have to let someone know what they are doing. My oldest knows how to work the microwave but our youngest still needs assistance.
@shirley183 (252)
• China
23 Mar 09
Well,i have not a child yet,but i think i'll let he help me in the kitchen,even do some cleaning,that can not only practice his life skill but also can let we felt more close with me and get the habit with doing all the things by himeself,and he can take care himself without me when he independence.
@HelloMickey (1655)
• Hong Kong
22 Mar 09
I let my nephew help me in the kitchen. He always asks me to let him help, actually, he just doesn't want to be alone in living room. So he finds a way to be with adults. I will only let him wash the veggies.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
25 Mar 09
My oldest has always wanted to be around the adults rather than the kids. As a result, he has found that he knows how to do many things in the kitchen, but is not always allowed to do them. For example, I will not let him take a roaster that it heavy out of the oven because I don't want him to get burnt.
@mimibt (52)
• Philippines
23 Mar 09
Up until they were ten, my kids were not allowed to help in the kitchen or be near a stove when in use. You can never be too careful. Now that they help in the kitchen as redundant I may sound to them I always tell them right before helping out the "kitchen rules", as what I call it. Since our oven has 4 stove tops, the 2 that are nearest to the body when facing it are never to be used. 2. Pot handles should be moved to the side, that way the handle does not pose as an obstacle when moving around. 3. Lastly, no one uses the stove/oven when mom is not around. This rule will expire when they turn 16.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
25 Mar 09
I have rules in my kitchen too for safety. The kids are all good about following them. One of my biggest rules, aside from being sure that no hanlde is facing the front of the stove, is that they cannot put their faces anywhere near a hot pan or burner.
@phoenix79 (302)
• United States
23 Mar 09
My youngest is about to turn three. She is a doll baby. She is my youngest and always be my youngest. She is getting to the point that she wants to help out around the house at all times. I can get her to wipe down walls, clean the tv, basically to do anything but to pickup after themselves. I am having trouble too seeing what my child can do by themselves. The rule of thumb at my house is the child is given a chance to do the task while under the supervision of an adult. If all goes well the next time the chore will be a solo effort. Sometimes I think that the children know better than we do about what they can do.
@youless (112586)
• Guangzhou, China
22 Mar 09
It depends on. If I am cutting the food or fry the dishes, I will ask my child go out of the kitchen as it is somewhat dangerous. Whereas if I wash the dishes, vegetables or stirring the eggs or making the mashed potatoes, he can stay with me and also help me. I think it's better for him to share the housework and meanwhile learn some responsibilities. He has to learn to depend on himself one day.
I love China
@LCHBheart (167)
• Singapore
22 Mar 09
I definitely think that it is a great idea to let your kids help out, as long as they know the safety rules. It would help them develop confidence in their abilities and by being useful, also help develop their self-esteem. They could also start coming up with recipes (or provide you with suggestions when you are coming up with recipes of your own). This would also help with developing their creativity.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
22 Mar 09
Lynne-
Great topic! I do let my little guy help in the kitchen. He's too little to really do a lot of cooking but I let him stir things, mix batters, help pour pancakes. Ever since he saw Sid the Science Kid make pancakes with his grandma he has to make them with mommy. So we have them once a week. He also loves helping me make bread which we try to do a few times a month. And of course he loves baking cookies!!
Namaste-Anora
@benny128 (3615)
•
25 Mar 09
my kids have been allowed and involved from as soon as they could walk,
the way I see it cooking is life skills, the earlier you get them involved the better.
I dont let them near to the cooker or use sharp knives etc, but they cut stuff up using their own baby knives (totally blunt of course), they also mix and stir and pour mixtures into the moulds etc etc.
I got them involved from about 2 years old as at that age they just soak everything up like a big sponge lol,
hopefully when they are older they will be able to look after themselves and cook etc etc
@lingzi (567)
• China
22 Mar 09
hi,there lynnemg,firstly, my baby is only 10 months ,it's important for him to help me in the kichen.but i think what's you are doing is quite right. let them help in the kichen can not only end up learning how to cook for themselves,but also konwing how toilsome the parents especially moms are. after konwing that,they will consider parents more .
