News Flash: These idyllic scenes aren’t happening right now, and that’s totally OK.
You’re homeschooling your kids. The birds are chirping. The sun is out. Why NOT take this divine opportunity to teach your beautiful children how to cook? I mean, what a great opportunity to teach creativity and science and math plus a vital life skill!
Um, not necessarily.
You might think I’d be all over this. That I’d be the one telling you this is the perfect time to cook with your kids. After all, everyone’s cooking a lot more right now, and kids are home from school, so why not maximize this time together?
Why Not Use This Time to Cook with Kids
Here’s why: Kids are home from the school building, but they’re still in school. And you’re spending your time helping them complete their schoolwork. And in between completing your own work or trying to find a new job because you need the hours, you’re trying to get breakfast, lunch and dinner on the table. (Side tip: Try to get everyone on a two-meal-a-day schedule.)
Right now, cooking might be a therapy for you — something that your children would totally disrupt. Or maybe speed is the name of the game — which, again, your children would totally disrupt. Maybe you used up all of your energy and patience on explaining multiplication (which you had to re-learn yourself the night before), and you have nothing left to give to teach your mini-humans how to cook.
Easy Ways to Bring Kids into the Kitchen
Whatever your reasons, they’re valid. I’ve personally involved my son very little in the kitchen in these recent weeks. He needs the break from me, and I need to hustle. Still, I don’t want to lose the bond we’ve formed in the kitchen, and I want to keep him connected (if not participating) in meals. So, here’s what we’re doing:
Grocery list input. I grocery shop alone these days, but the night before, I ask my family what we (they) need. Even if it’s snacks (and it’s always snacks) that he asks for, I try really hard to get that item. It makes him happy — that he got the snack and that he was heard.
Meal planning. I’m still not the best meal planner, and a lot of what we’re doing these days is basing meals on what I was able to purchase at the store. (One week, there was a lot of fish and random cuts of beef, because that’s just what there was.) But I’m still asking my little dude what he would like to have this week or giving him options on the day — something that is simple and lets me connect with him.
Take-out selection. It’s not cooking, I know, but it’s food. We’ve been doing takeout every Friday from the same local eatery. That was our son’s pick, and while I’d prefer a bit more variety, it’s fine. (I’ve ordered something different every Friday for myself.) We’ll usually do takeout from another local spot on Saturday night, and that’s more of a family discussion, but our son is involved, which is important to me.
Occasional baking. When I’m up for it, I’ll ask him if he wants to bake with me. He’s never said no. Recently, we’ve done banana bread and blueberry muffins — and a no-bake sweet and salty riff on Rice Krispies treats.
Clean-up. We’re getting better about asking him to clear his own dishes now, too. There isn’t the same rush to wrap up dinner, and he’s almost 6, so there’s no reason he isn’t helping more.
So, here’s the bottom line: If you have the time and can add cooking to your homeschool agenda, that would be awesome, but I know it’s not possible for all of us right now.
In our house, we’ll be out of school in a week, and we’ll see what our summer looks like. Maybe I’ll be able to cook with my son more. Or maybe I’ll be overwhelmed with finding non-screen things for him to do and working and trying to keep everyone fed, and it won’t happen. Either way, I know we’ll get back in the kitchen together someday.
For now, I’m taking solace in knowing I’m doing what I can to keep my family healthy and my kiddo happy. And at this moment, that’s harder than usual, so from the lady who really truly believes it’s vital to bring our kiddos in the kitchen more: Give yourself a break.