Aside from cooking, kitchens function as a space for a family to gather with one another. It leads to waves of laughter and shared experiences that deepen their bonds. It can also cause arguments. For the most part, it offers meaningful memories that are full of valuable lessons. Quality time is a collective process in the kitchen with everyone focused and involved in the task at hand, which is to create wonderfully delicious food and plenty of it! Moreover, when technological distractions are not around, communication takes place with one another and the family bond can be strengthened, highlighting the fact that a household that can indulge in each other’s presence while being of service to one another.
Instilling discipline
When children are immersed in cooking at an early age, they naturally develop their interests and skills in the discipline. Cooking teaches children how to be patient when following recipes, how to be organized in the kitchen, how to be careful when handling food, how to value food and not be wasteful, and how to recognize and select fresh ingredients. Once they absorb all these lessons, they can also apply lessons learned in other aspects of their developmental life.
Kids can learn the value of helping their parents, not only around the house, but also when it comes to cooking. Children are the reflection of their parents–their parents serve as their primary role models who they consciously and subconsciously learn from as they grow. Parents are responsible for setting a great example through actions that show commitment, and words that invoke sincerity and caring. Parents should also know how to set healthy boundaries that encourage transformation and discovery. By doing this, they can discourage unruly behaviors that are not aligned with developing good values and a solid moral compass.
Aside from simply learning basic cooking skills, kids learn about attitudes and behaviors that can shape them into well-rounded individuals.
Having a role in the family
Cooking gives a sense of belonging to the family with each person having their own roles such as shopping for ingredients, chopping vegetables, cooking the meals, preparing the table, and washing the dishes. The roles can even be interchangeable so that everyone has their fair share of work to do, which is also a fun way of distributing the workload.
Everyone looking forward to eating, so if every family member pitches in, then helping around the kitchen will save a lot of time. This will also be beneficial when there are dining guests given that the children are already familiar with the different ways they can be useful in the kitchen.
The value of learning how to cook
Cooking is an essential skill that every individual should learn. It goes beyond learning or mastering a recipe as it nurtures other valuable skills that contribute to personal development. It leads to lessons in life that would be beneficial to others aspects of their wellbeing as a productive individual in society. A kitchen is generally where people deal with various challenges while having the power to shift their mindset in order to arrive at a favorable outcome. Most especially when someone has to serve a dish for the people around them, impressing others with a delicious dish can be one of life’s most harrowing experiences. Cooking with children will expose them to all these essential skills.
Cooking teaches problem-solving skills. Although cooking is typically taught at home and not in the classroom, problem-solving is a key life skill. When faced with any kind of dilemma, the primary goal is to take the necessary steps to solve it and learn from it. The same goes for cooking. It is important to know how to move around the kitchen–handling food and utensils, working with the ingredients, creating a dish, adjusting a recipe, and functioning with limited time or resources. Kids who are being introduced to the kitchen will learn the basics of cooking and recognize the problems or difficulties that they may encounter along the way. Parents are responsible for demonstrating how to work their way through those situations calmly, which is also an important attribute to share with kids. The next time they are in the kitchen, they would be more aware of solving a problem with the right mindset.
Cooking also teaches creativity. People do not have to rely on recipes all the time and instead can find ways to cook once basic lessons are learned to create new masterpiece dishes. Without measuring every ingredient . Kids are more inclined to use their creativity when learning to cook, and find it slightly more challenging to follow a recipe. The free flow of expression creates a fun and rewarding opportunity to apply their own touch to a dish. On the other hand, adults who are well-versed in cooking may already be able to produce a new dish from the ingredients they have on hand. The kitchen certainly encourages individuals to unleash their creativity in order to develop a presentable and flavorful dish.
Lastly, cooking teaches social skills and teamwork in the kitchen. It also fosters the need for communication to avoid mistakes or making a mess. Rather than an enjoyable experience, cooking together may sometimes lead to arguments due to a lack of process and/or communication. When teaching kids how to cook, they also need to recognize appropriate behavior in the kitchen. They will interact with you by observing your work, asking questions, showing their progress, and waiting for instructions. Keep in mind that they are curious individuals that need constant guidance. They will naturally cultivate their social skills by following the rules and knowing how to behave properly. Assigning roles beforehand, conversing with and assisting each other while cooking and valuing each other’s work in the process will lead to a harmonious and rewarding kitchen environment.