{"id":1247,"date":"2013-07-08T14:00:15","date_gmt":"2013-07-08T18:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.positivelyparenting.com\/?p=1247"},"modified":"2015-12-04T12:48:53","modified_gmt":"2015-12-04T17:48:53","slug":"kids-in-the-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/kids-in-the-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids in the Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"
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So often, parents think that meals are only about eating food, and yes, consuming calories is important. But is very helpful to remember that meals are a good time for the family to come together in conversation and cooperation.<\/p>\n

\"ThinkStock.com\"<\/a>If your dining room feels more like a battleground than a friendly place to break bread, it is time to change things up.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s try something a little out-of-the-box. This idea is meant to cultivate some cooperation, collaboration, and interest in food, as well as responsibility, and fun! This day can be altered to simply one meal; do what is right for\u00a0your<\/em>\u00a0family!<\/p>\n

The “Kids Rule the Kitchen” Day!<\/p>\n

1) Two days before the Big Day, tell your children that they are going to be in charge of feeding the family! Let them know that there must be nutritious choices (2 fruits, 3 veggies, proteins, etc.), and then help them plan the menu.\u00a0IT MUST BE FOOD THAT THEY CAN MAKE OR MAKE WITH ONLY A BIT OF ASSISTANCE FROM YOU, THE PARENT<\/strong>. Otherwise, why bother? Also, don\u2019t judge the choices too harshly. If it is waffles and grapes for breakfast, cream cheese and jelly sandwiches with baby carrots and pretzels for lunch, and chicken nuggets with frozen peas and mac-n-cheese for dinner\u2026it\u2019s\u00a0okay<\/em>. It\u2019s one day.\"ThinkStock.com\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2) Write down the menu for the day and hang it up where everyone can see it.<\/p>\n

3) Go shopping with the kids and their lists. Allow them to find the items (and tailor this for the younger set). If you have readers in the house, they should manage this fine.<\/p>\n

4) The night before the big day, remind the children that they are making the food the next morning, and you cannot wait!<\/p>\n

5) Don’t overmanage the day. As safely as you can, allow the children to work out their issues and make the meals. Yes, help cut veggies and toast waffles, but stay out of the way as much as you can, and don\u2019t criticize. Stay positive, smiling, and say that everything is delicious. As the parent, offer to set the table and get the napkins for the family.<\/p>\n

6) Enjoy the meals together! Mention the details of what you notice. Show gratitude for the food and the preparation. Offer to clear the table.<\/p>\n

7) Above all, let this be a fun experiment. Notice how your child handles this fun challenge. Is your child afraid to fail? Does your child ask for your help constantly, because they are accustomed to you jumping in? Is your child thriving under a bit of pressure, and have a creative flair? A day like this shows you a good bit about your child\u2019s temperament, as well as your own parenting strengths and weaknesses. Watch and take note.<\/p>\n

8) Plan another one! No matter what, declare it is a great success and schedule the next one. Everything that children do is practice, so allow\u00a0this<\/em>\u00a0to be practice. Your goals are\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0about food here. They are about fostering confidence, cooperation, fellowship and fun. Get brave and give your children a chance!<\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So often, parents think that meals are only about eating food, and yes, consuming calories is important. But is very helpful to remember that meals are a good time for the family to come together in conversation and cooperation. If your dining room feels more like a battleground than a friendly place to break bread, it is time to change […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-parenting"],"yoast_head":"\nKids in the Kitchen - Meghan Leahy Parent Coach<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/kids-in-the-kitchen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kids in the Kitchen - Meghan Leahy Parent Coach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"So often, parents think that meals are only about eating food, and yes, consuming calories is important. 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