Talk

No just me???? Dam it new I wasn't handling the summer holidays to well :-)

How old are they? Are they old enough to help prepare a meal? Or could you set them about baking/decorating bicuits whilst you do the proper cooking?

DD helps out in the kitchen quite a bit and DS is very good at fetching things but they both know they have to follow the head chef's (my) rules

No, I use them as my helpers! It actually does speed things up as they lay table/ get ingredients/ help chop

Nearly 5 and 2 3/4 . I have thought about letting them help . It's there summer holidays it's just mess upon mess upon mess. It's probably me. I feel like it's me

Mine are 4 and 5 so similar ages, although have kept in kitchen since born when I was in there so they didn't squash or kill each other

Sometimes i think you have to look beyond the mess to a time in the distant future when they'll be able to cook for you. I think discouraging them now could put them off cooking.

DD complains that i'm a control freak in the kitchen and that she does better when she's left alone. Maybe i'll leave her in charge one day this week.

At that age, I would give them jobs to occupy them, not ban them.
Now teens, they can all prepare the evening meal without me being in the kitchen.... consider it an investment.

I think it depends on the child and on what mood they're in. DS is 4 and boisterous. sometimes, if he's being good, I'll ask him to help me chop and prepare things. however, if he's being difficult or hyper, I will politely ask him to leave, as he's likely to wind me up or be a danger to himself.

It really depends on the children, I second that.

My two boys (God help me! :-)) have been pretty good following the rules (Yes, I had to bark at the beginning). So now they know, and correct each other about the following:
1. Strictly no toys in the kitchen
2. Knives and hob/oven are off limits (4yr old) and with mum's supervision (6yr old)
3. Treats are for AFTER the main meal
4. If you turn off the timer, tell the chef (i.e. mum)
5. If you spill/drop/break anything - you're the one cleaning up

It took a while and involved mum's barking, but at least now I don't feel like my kitchen has been invaded by chaos-causing aliens :-).