Would you let 7 year old cook?

[HattyHats]

He wants make chilli for dinner. He'd obviously be supervised. Is it too young though? Me and DH don't quite agree.

Of course a 7yo can cook with supervision!

I found Smart Raspberry were brilliant for providing recipes and a program for children to learn to cook. DS15 is cooking tonight whilst I have a glass of wine and put my feet up! He's been cooking on and off for a few years now. Go for it !

Definitely, it's fine

Under supervision that's amazing. My DD's did from 8/9

Yes. Think it’s weird of your DH to even think it wouldn’t be?! If you’re supervising then absolutely fine. In fact, it’s actually very good parenting to let him cook and gain new skills. Hope it tastes good

Definitely. I have three boys and over lockdown (youngest was 9 but developmentally younger), I insisted that one of them 'cooked' every day.

They're not with me every day and sometimes we fall out of the habit but it's a routine. The other two each up and tidy the kitchen afterwards.

It's more effort at first that just doing it yourself but eyes on the prize (which is sitting with your feet up drinking wine while your kids make you tasty food).

My rules: some protein, some carbs, some veg. TBF it's very often lasagne or bolognese, or if it's chicken nuggets and chips we make them from scratch.

The oldest one (12) now cooks under supervision rather than me being involved too much. It's s slow process but so with it.

Especially with boys! It's a big responsibility for us as mums not to be creating useless fuckwit men who don't know their way around a kitchen.

The other two wash up

Definitely not too young if he's interested. Obviously supervise in case of actual danger with knives, hot pans, etc but otherwise let him get on with it!

Definitely not too young if he's interested. Obviously supervise in case of actual danger with knives, hot pans, etc but otherwise let him get on with it!

Absolutely. My sons were assisting with cooking by that age. It is really important to get them involved in cooking and housework as early as possible.
We have enough men who think home stuff is not their job already without releasing more of them into the wild. 😁

With supervision, if tall enough to see in to the pans.

My 2.5 year old helps ie shoves stuff in the pan and helps stir things heavily supervised. 7 is fine provided they have respect for hot things and knives

All my kids have cooked ds 16 is now a very accomplished cook
My ds 7 has always helped me cook and weighs out all the cake ingredients etc.... loves helping me
So go for it

My 10 year old uses a single induction hob when he cooks our meals. Bought it from Aldi. Not keen on him using the gas when alone in the kitchen because of his Dyspraxia so a bit accident prone.

If he is asking to then definitely encourage that! One of you can make sure you teach him how to chop safely and work the hob, and he will be so proud of himself for making something you all like eating. Great life skill and good habit to get him into, when I went to uni my housemates lived on pot noodles and microwave meals while I was making my own meals (cheaper) from scratch, thanks to my mum.

Absolutely. I don't think that's a problem at all. Mine have 'helped' as soon as they could hold a spoon. Seems illogical, but don't give them a blunt knife to chop with as this is more dangerous than a sharp knife. Teach them safe knife skills or get them to 'chop' using scissors.

My DD8 loves to bake. We bought her a stand mixer for her birthday and she uses it all the time.

She makes various cakes, pretzels, biscuits/ pancakes etc with no help from me a part from putting in/ out of the oven. She usually has her 6yo brother in tow too. She loves live cook-a-longs too (there's quite a few I found via Facebook)

It's a great hobby for her and I encourage it in every way I can.

Definitely let your DD cook! Reading this made me realise I need to encourage her to cook as well as bake.

Absolutely! My children have been since that age. I supervise, get them to use a fairly blunt knife (or I do the bits that need a decent knife) and they know to ask me to put things in / take things out of the oven.

How lovely. Enjoy the chilli! x

Absolutely fine.

My dad taught me to cook from around that age - one of my favourite memories is helping him bake bread every Sunday, and him teaching me how to make a proper Italian pasta sauce from scratch.

Not too young at all.

there are some wonderful kids cook books - look for ones with step by step pictures
I started dc using cake mixes for tea
as long as you supervise

Yes, absolutely just be prepared for it to take ages! My ds15 makes tea but I need to get him to start a long time before I would.

Of course he can. In fact, It's pretty strange that you need to ask. It might be worth double checking with all your friends about what they let/expect their 7 year olds to do. Helicopter parenting (and on one example I don't know if your dh does) really isn't helpful to a child.

Seven is a great age to cook things with supervision.

My little boy is nearly six and has been making roti with supervision for over a year, he knows the recipe, how to roll them etc, I just watch. He did burn himself once (not badly) and he is now much more careful.

100% in fact, I did.