By Annie Dubois
There are few things as enjoyable as spending time with your children or grandchildren. Whether you are playing tag, hide and seek, or simply watching a kid's movie for the umpteenth time because it is your grandson's favorite, both the child and the adult reap the benefits of spending time together. Children learn, and adults get to teach. This means everyone benefits and builds positive family memories those children will pass down to their own children and grandchildren. One of my personal favorite activities is cooking Mexican food with children.
Children love to play in the kitchen. If you are preparing dinner, pots and pants with a wooden spoon can make a great babysitter while you prepare dinner for toddlers and infants, but as that toddler ages, chances are good those pots and pans are going to become interesting for a completely different reason.
When you get your children involved in the kitchen, you are building a stronger family bond, but you are also teaching the children something that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Both boys and girls can benefit from knowing how to cook. Cooking Mexican food is fun and healthy which makes it even better.
So how do you get your children to help?
First, remember you should always supervise beginners and younger children. Generally, teenagers can handle the kitchen by themselves, but it is still a good idea to keep an eye out for things to offer a hand if needed. Also, never allow children to work with a knife. This is dangerous and should be taught slowly rather than quickly.
To get your children involved, simply ask for help. You will find that it is relatively easy to pull the kiddo from the television or the video game. Just say you need help in the kitchen. For the younger ones, you may want to start by simply offer measuring cups. This is also a superb way to teach some nice math skills too!
Ask questions: how many of those ½ cups will fit into 1 cup? That is a good question to ask! Your children will learn and have fun at the same time.
One of my son's favorite activities when he was younger was spreading sauce over the tortilla. Then he could sprinkle fresh vegetables and fruits I prepared beforehand into the tortilla. Your child has just helped make a great snack or even helped with that dish of enchiladas!
Cooking Mexican food with children is great, but there is one more thing that helps teach the child. As you are finished with utensils or dishes, help your child clean up the mess. This will teach a whole other lesson that will prove beneficial – clean up after yourself; even mommy or daddy has to do it.
When it comes to having children help out in the kitchen, you will find that you are building bonds and habits that will last a lifetime. In addition, the fresh goodness of delicious food made by your child is something not only your child will proudly display, but it is something that you as a parent can marvel at. Yes, they do grow up so fast!
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Source:www.isnare.com |
