Heart For Home Thursday~ Let Them In!

It's time to confess.  Contrary to everything I say, everything I encourage and everything I strive to be, deep, deep down I am really just a Kitchen Snob.  While I really want my daughters to learn to be in the kitchen, preparing food, cooking, baking, learning from me, most of the time I just want to do "my thing". 

The other night I was making biscuits for our dinner and was feeling a little rushed.  Bethany (my most likely girl to be found in the kitchen) climbed up on her stool and asked if she could put the cut out biscuits on the tray for me.  "Not this time." I answered quickly.  All I could see was squished biscuits.  You know, those biscuits that were pinched a little too much on their way to the tray. Horror of horrors!  I couldn't let that happen. 

Thankfully, a small bit of sanity got a hold of me quickly.  WHO CARES ABOUT SQUISHED BISCUITS?!?  Bethany did the job beautifully without any mistakes.  But even if she hadn't, it wouldn't have mattered. 

This scenario happens way more than I care to admit.  But it robs all of us from learning and growing from one another.  My girls actually know how to do many things in the kitchen very well.  For the most part they really are helpful now.  But they never would have gotten here had I not let them try when they were not helpful! 

Yesterday I was feeling convicted and decided to take the plunge.  We had all afternoon so I got out our blueberry muffin recipe and told them to make it.  On their own.  All I did was work the oven.  I made applesauce on the other counter while they worked away.  I didn't have high hopes that all would go smoothly, but the only times I had to step in were to help with some fractions and to encourage closer reading when the pulled out baking soda instead of baking powder.

YUM!!!

Teaching children to cook is so rewarding in sooo many ways.  I know this to my toes.  But as much as we my "believe" it, we can't forget to actually let them in!  They'll surprise you!