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Parenting

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Original poster

Kitchen rules

9 replies

Bedsheets4knickers · 27/07/2015 22:06

Can I ask , do you ban your children from the kitchen when preparing meals . Mine are driving me crazy . I've crashed into them about times today. They demand to help . If I open the fridge to get the butter they spot the treats full on paddy commences. What colour plates bowls that get. I feel harassed every meal time

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Bedsheets4knickers · 27/07/2015 23:12

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

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OldBeanbagz · 27/07/2015 23:26

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

Artandco · 27/07/2015 23:28

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

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Bedsheets4knickers · 27/07/2015 23:32

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

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Artandco · 27/07/2015 23:42

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

OldBeanbagz · 27/07/2015 23:44

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.

BackforGood · 27/07/2015 23:50

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.

guinnessgirl · 28/07/2015 03:34

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.

elk4baby · 29/07/2015 13:07

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:

Strictly no toys in the kitchen
Knives and hob/oven are off limits (4yr old) and with mum's supervision (6yr old)
Treats are for AFTER the main meal
If you turn off the timer, tell the chef (i.e. mum)
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 :-).

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