Getting our children involved in the kitchen

I want my children to be comfortable in the kitchen. Rebecca is really coming into her own, and is more than willing to help most of the time. She has one task that is completely hers. Making cornbread. She makes it from scratch. It is so good. I am so proud of her.

She asked for Jungle Stew for lunch. I find that cornbread with any stew, or really anytime of day for any reason is a good thing, but particularly with stew. So I said, if you make cornbread I'll make jungle stew. So we worked together in our tiny kitchen and got it done!

She does it all herself. She got out the recipe, made it, put it in the oven, set the timer, then cleaned up her mess and did the dishes. Her reward is the great praise she gets when we all eat it. I love that she enjoys it and she has learned a life skill. Using and reading a recipe will be valuable to her as she grows. 

I have to be honest it took me some time to come to the place of sharing the kitchen with my 10 year old. Extra mess, more dishes, bumping into each other (did I mention my kitchen is tiny). It used to be frustrating to me. Now I realize the importance of learning these life skills. Someday her husband will be thankful I taught her to make awesome cornbread, as well as many other yummy things.

She is so excited for learning to cook, she has asked me to make her a recipe book of her own with her favorite foods so she has it when she leaves home. (yes she is just 10, she just wants to be sure she is prepared ha ha)

Have a blessed FOCUSed day!