Both my boys like to be independent and definitely have a stubborn streak in them. While I’d like to write this makes them *definitely* their father’s children, I have to admit they get a double dose of the stubborn gene, and if I am completely honest, it is probably just as strong, if not stronger, on their mother’s side. In other words, I am stubborn too.
R and G love to “do it myself!” and I do try and slow down, take a deep breath, table my own stubbornness and let them take a whack at independence when appropriate. No, they don’t yet slice and dice with sharp knives, but R can serve himself most foods and drinks, and he does a pretty good job with mixing, even sauteing, with supervision.
G is younger and sometimes I have to remind myself that while he may think he is 7 like his brother, he is almost half R’s age and therefore not quite ready for all the helping that R does in the kitchen. G does not like being told he can’t do something, so I try to let him down easy, while focusing on all the neat things he can do. Again, I have to be careful, or the stubborn gene comes forth.
When either of the boys get frustrated when trying to do things in the kitchen, and turn down repeated offers for help, I try and remember how I would react if I were in their shoes. Yes, admitting you cannot do something you really, really want to be able to do is a learned personality trait. Years of mistakes and foolish pride have taught me when I need to admit the need for assistance, and R and G haven’t had the years, er, decades of practice that I have had.
The other day the boys were having applesauce with breakfast. Both R and G adore cinnamon and I am all too happy to have them sprinkle some on top due to the wonderful health benefits of cinnamon. R grabbed the cinnamon from the cabinet and sprinkled some on top. The container had the classic top of half-pour, half-sprinkle. R had used the sprinkle side and G watched him shake, shake, shake a bit on top of his applesauce. G asked for a turn, so I let him give it a whirl. Here is his applesauce after G’s shake or two:
Needless to say, G got a little more cinnamon than he was expecting, since he opened the “pour” side rather than the “sprinkle” side of the container. But you know what? I bet he’ll remember next time to check the lid! Chances are, if I had stopped him before he did his shaking, the lesson would not have been as dramatic.
I’ve wrote it before and I’ll write it again: the kitchen is a wonderful classroom!
SPC