Home
>
Parenting
>
Parenting in the Kitchen ? Lessons in Cooking, Socializing, and Bonding

Parenting in the Kitchen ? Lessons in Cooking, Socializing, and Bonding

Kitchens are where everything happens. It's not just where meals are prepared ? it's usually the hub of the home, where family and friends get together to spend time. Cooking and eating together is about more than nutrition for the body. It's also the experience of connecting and interacting with family members, to feed relationships. Try to choose one meal that everyone comes to the table. It doesn't have to be dinner. This is a challenge as everyone has their own activities (especially as children grow), but starting early promotes the importance of family time together, and also demonstrates a healthy attitude towards food and eating.

Socializing

? Children love playing with simple pots, pans and wooden spoons. Give them some to play with, or buy them their own play set

? If you're in the kitchen they want to be there too. Find a place that's safe, but also allows you to engage with them

? When eating, have them sit at the table in age appropriate high chairs and booster seats

? Interact with children at mealtimes, even when just starting on solid food

? Create a stress fee feeding environment for your baby

Teaching

There are many lessons to be learned in the kitchen. You can start teaching very early. Cooking is a skill your children will use forever and you'll create fond memories together. Even a baby's early development can be taught in the kitchen:

? Colors and numbers ? have your baby count the numbers of apples you're peeling and ask the color

? Vocabulary ? tell the baby the names of all your ingredients and ask her to repeat them

? Safety ? show them the dangers in the kitchen - what not to touch and why

? Agriculture ? where food comes from. How do fruits and vegetables grow? You may even consider planting a garden, so your child can see the whole process

? Table manners ? the use of utensils, saying "please" and "thank you"

? Following directions ? a recipe can help with reading comprehension and how to follow instructions

As your child ages, you can also teach them how to make family recipes and share with them about your own childhood and family mealtimes.

Cooking

Cooking does not have to be a major event if you do not have the time or energy. Many people think they can't cook, but they prepare meals all the time. It does not require a recipe book or hours of time alone in the kitchen. You only need an imagination and a stocked pantry or refrigerator.

? Find a safe place for baby to watch you cook and talk to them to keep them interested ? always remember to take a break and spend a few minutes playing or hugging

? Interruptions will happen ? make foods that can be prepped easily or make meals in stages

? Allow children to choose foods and meals for the family ? they can take pride in the family meal and that they've contributed

? When age appropriate, allow children to help with tasks such as mixing dough, peeling vegetables, setting the table, making family name cards

? Children will spill and make mistakes ? be patient

Health and Nutrition

You want your child to grow up with healthy attitudes towards food and nutrition. They will look at what and how you eat for guidance. If you are always dieting and not enjoying food, you may pass along negative feeling about food to your children.

? Have them see you enjoying healthy foods

? Avoid foods that you do not want your child to eat. If they see you eating cookies, they will want cookies too.

? Avoid forcing your child to eat ? children will eat if they are hungry

? Introduce a variety of flavors and textures to your children's diet

? Eat whole foods vs. "fast" foods

? Create a stress fee feeding environment for your baby

? Avoid bribing children with sweets

Food and Memories

Food can remind us of special occasions, events, people, etc. "Comfort foods" are those that make you feel good and often remind you of your past or childhood. Usually these foods are rich in flavor and texture (creamy, crunchy). We sometimes rely on these foods to comfort us when we're not feeling well or want to be reminded of a special time or event. These foods may also reflect an ethnic heritage, culture, region and time. They may be time consuming to make, such as a Thanksgiving dinner or they may be quick and easy (Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches)

Ask yourself "what are my comfort foods and why?", and "which foods would I like to become my child's comfort foods and why?"

Lisa Barnes is the owner of Petit Appetit a cooking service devoted to infants and toddlers. She teaches private and group cooking classes to parents throughout Northern California, and is the author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook (Penguin, March 2005) For more information visit http://www.petitappetit.com

family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..

In The News:

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.