Quality Time...
My kids seem to need a lot of attention. Most kids are that way, but it seems like my kids really want the attention right when I am feeling too busy to give it to them. Notice I said the word "feeling".
Often this feeling comes when I am trying to make dinner and they are all clustered around me begging for food, dying of boredom, or just bugging me.
Last week I was making Cheeseburger Soup (which is VERY good by the way). The boys were restless so I put some of them to work. We have four potato peelers (because if they think something is fun and you never tell them its actually work, they will enjoy it more!) so some of them started peeling potatoes, and some of them started peeling carrots. My four year old is pretty good at peeling carrots (except for the few inches he misses on one end). Their least favorite part is picking up all the peelings that missed the garbage can.
I have a small hand cranked food processor. I have seen them at the store advertised as salsa makers, but in this case I got this one back when I was a Tupperware lady...(yes, I will pause while you adjust your image of me from cool to frumpy). I like it because I don't have to cry while chopping onions. I just cut it into a couple of large pieces and process away. I also don't grate carrots as my little chopper will mince them right up. That food processor is like a ride at Disneyland to my boys (because they haven't been to Disneyland yet and don't know any better) so they are always asking to help me chop things up with it. So not only did I get help peeling potatoes and carrots, but also chopping onions, carrots and celery for the soup. They did most of the hard work for me.
At first it felt like dinner took longer to cook, but I don't think it really did. I think time just slowed down for a while because we were spending it together. Typically on most evenings I am shoving them all out of the kitchen so they won't be in my way, but that night has changed my thinking. If I let them help me, I am getting two things done at once...dinner, and quality time together, and not only that but as a bonus they are learning all about how to be good cooks! Something I am sure their future mission companions, roomates and my future daughters in law will thank me for later.
Often this feeling comes when I am trying to make dinner and they are all clustered around me begging for food, dying of boredom, or just bugging me.
Last week I was making Cheeseburger Soup (which is VERY good by the way). The boys were restless so I put some of them to work. We have four potato peelers (because if they think something is fun and you never tell them its actually work, they will enjoy it more!) so some of them started peeling potatoes, and some of them started peeling carrots. My four year old is pretty good at peeling carrots (except for the few inches he misses on one end). Their least favorite part is picking up all the peelings that missed the garbage can.
I have a small hand cranked food processor. I have seen them at the store advertised as salsa makers, but in this case I got this one back when I was a Tupperware lady...(yes, I will pause while you adjust your image of me from cool to frumpy). I like it because I don't have to cry while chopping onions. I just cut it into a couple of large pieces and process away. I also don't grate carrots as my little chopper will mince them right up. That food processor is like a ride at Disneyland to my boys (because they haven't been to Disneyland yet and don't know any better) so they are always asking to help me chop things up with it. So not only did I get help peeling potatoes and carrots, but also chopping onions, carrots and celery for the soup. They did most of the hard work for me.
At first it felt like dinner took longer to cook, but I don't think it really did. I think time just slowed down for a while because we were spending it together. Typically on most evenings I am shoving them all out of the kitchen so they won't be in my way, but that night has changed my thinking. If I let them help me, I am getting two things done at once...dinner, and quality time together, and not only that but as a bonus they are learning all about how to be good cooks! Something I am sure their future mission companions, roomates and my future daughters in law will thank me for later.
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