More on Kids in the Kitchen

After I had written my previous post, I heard a segment on the radio that addressed this very topic! I wasn't able to find a copy of the segment, but I found a summary that had some of the elements in this particular conversation. Here are some highlights:

• Cooking with your children can improve family dynamics.
• A child who assists with meal preparation feels useful and appreciated when she sees other household members enjoying what she produced.
  
• Spending quality time with your children is a key element of good parenting. In this case, it's time in the kitchen.
• The goal of this activity is to spend time working together. Not only will this help your child feel needed and useful, but you will have the opportunity to give him or her age-appropriate responsibility.

A very good point was made in the broadcast: Sometimes we ask for 15 minutes to finish cooking so that we can then spend time with our children. However, if those 15 minutes of meal preparation are prolonged to 30 because of your child's involvement, then that's 30 minutes you have already spent with your child. That's probably more time together than if you separated the two activities.

Keep the comments coming.