Cooking for the Family: A Great Chore for Kids

I was raised to help out around the house both inside and outside and although I resented a lot of it growing up, as an adult, I see the importance in it. It's not just as some kids might think as a mechanism for parents to get out of chores rather it provides many benefits. From teaching responsibility to ensuring life skills are abundant before they begin their own lives. I didn't really have to force my children to help around the house but I did provide an incentive at first with a weekly allowance. When I quit purchasing toys or like items for them, they found that they needed to earn their own money so doing chores was a bit more of a wanted task.  Within a year, they want to help now out of an obligation to help me more than anything which I just love and feel gives me a parenting award for success.

Their oldest sister, 30 years now, cooked a lot for us when she lived with us so that rubbed off on the two younger ones. Recently after battling a severe case of the flu, they opted to help and prepare dinner on their own. The thrill of preparing their own dinner provoked a desire to continue cooking and preparing food for the family.  Earlier last week, they decided to co-prepare an Italian inspired pork tenderloin recipe, mashed potatoes for them and mashed cauliflower for me, organic corn and they followed it with homemade sugar cookies with an almond flavored icing all prepared by their little hands!

 

  

She invited her pet seal all equipped with a make shift bow tie.

She even prepped the plates and we took a break from the dinner table to watch what we also coin, our family movie night to ensure we have family time together many nights of the week.  Needless to say, it was delicious!