Nowadays, quite a lot of times, my two children cook with me.
It was really fun, preparing the food and eating together. Cooking is part of homeschooling, part of life.
I must say, it gets easier when the kids are older.
Before this, it was mostly my little one who helped me out. She was very curious in everything I do and love to be part of it. For any young child, it is fun to be able to do what the adult does. She also said "Folding clothes is so fun." Chores to her is natural and part of life. My older one was not so lucky. When she was young, many a time, she wasn't invited to join in as I felt that doing the chores alone is much faster and more convenient. And when she got the chance to join in, I "taught" her how to do. This made her felt like she couldn't do it well on her own and I took away her natural in-born exploring ability.
Dinner cooked by En, unaided. (she forgot to put salt!)
I retreated to my bedroom, trying to have a quiet afternoon and recuperate from the madness of Legoland trip, volunteering at Raptor Watch and having En's childhood friend over for 3 nights, with all these occurring back to back. Shortly, I dozed off and awoke knowing the dinner was prepared and our piles of clothes folded. I was touched by the kind act of my little children. I am blessed. And the most touching moment, was my older child cooked the dinner for us all by herself. I have been patiently waiting for her to regain her confidence in cooking which I have taken away.
1 comment:
That's amazing, Shannon! The girls are so thoughtful and considerate, and they have the confidence to take over and make the decision to prepare dinner and get the laundry sorted. This is the kind of independence, compassion and critical thinking we need to instil in young people everywhere! I love doing housework and am frustrated by the number of friends, housemates and colleagues who cannot even keep their own areas neat and prevent junk from spreading to other people's personal spaces. I am a staunch Montessorian and I think practical life skills are the most important yet most neglected part of early childhood education. Cooking sessions can provide so many lessons in maths, physics and home economics! Good job, girls!
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