Living Wellness: Mom’s Corner

Kids in the Kitchen

We get it – sometimes it is easier to keep kids out of the kitchen and just get on with the task at hand yourself. There is no doubt however that a huge amount of fun is to be had in the kitchen. Yes it can be messy, but a great cook starts somewhere and a love of the kitchen rather than a dread of it begins early. A kitchen is often the heart and the brains of a family; it is where nutritional health originates and the gift of family meals extends.

Here are some of our favorite tips, we’d love it if you would add on.

• Make sure to have stools or a bench in the kitchen for children to sit and talk about their day while you are cooking.
• Add 10 minutes on to the allocated prep time and give a simple task to your children; peel a potato, stir the mixture, turn over the French Toast.
• Pick a simple recipe from a cookbook together, shop, prep, cook and amaze other family members.
• Use a vegetable that is unusual to your family and explore it together.
• Bake or roast vegetables, it is easy, fun and a healthy way to cook.
• Let go of perfection; participation is the primary goal.

Being Present

Very different from “showing up” is the act of being present. Let’s face it, we multitask and sometimes the only way we can participate in the many activities that our children have is by layering in cell phones and iPads. Can we challenge ourselves though? How much of that layering is essential? There is no doubt that our children benefit from our undivided attention and support. So when you can, make sure that you are engaged and cheering when the training wheels come off or the ball hits the back of the net.

The family table

Having a meal together and discussing the day is one of the most valuable things a family can do and research has shown it is a key component to the developmental process of a child becoming a successful adult. Food, family and conversation is a magical combo that is the foundation to respect and pleasure in the combination of good food and good conversation. Try adding a word game or riddle to the table to keep the conversation going.