Do you let your kids help in the ?

I've had my kids cooking with me from about the age of 4. I'm talking about cooking dinners and using the stove, of course with my supervision only. My 6 yo daughter makes buttered noodles (including cooking and mixing the noodles on the stove), my 4 and 6 yo help make mashed potatoes. The 11 yo makes dinner by himself -- hamburger helper. The 9 yo makes the best meatballs in the house, even better than mine! All of the like to assist (and the older 2 can almost do it by themselves) in making chicken piccata.

As long as they are supervised I don't see a problem. However, some children may not listen to don't touch the stove, but mine never had that problem, since they've all been helping bake since they were 2!

I also want them all to be able to cook when they get older. My husband was never shown how to cook and, to this day, can't. He can do hamburger helper (but gets confused by 2 boxes) and he's been helping with the rice a roni and veggies, but that's about it.

If I have the time then I let my daughter help. I keep her away from the stove and she does little things like pouring the ingredients into the bowl after I measure them or stirring the mixes. She cleans the veggies under running water. She snapped the ends off the green beans the other night. She helps unload the dishwasher. Any little thing she can do to help is teaching her responsibility and when she gets a little older I'll let her do more. These are just a few of the things I let her do. Let the kids in the kitchen but just be smart about it. Good luck!

From the time my kid were sitting up they have been in the kitchen with me. I would put a towel in the sink and sit them in it while I worked on dinner, by the time they were 2 they were "scrambling" the eggs for me. Letting them grow up doing it and being involved has all three of them to the point they like to cook. My oldest is 16 no and a great cook. I just always told them don't touch this it is hot, here use this it isn't sharp etc. and was right there with them. Sure accidents can still happen but they can happen any where not just in the kitchen and it is a great way to spend time with the kids.

My girls have both helped in the kitchen since they were about 2. There is a lot they can learn without being around the stove. Measuring, picking out the veggies, cleaning the veggies. What I did was I used one side of my stove and my daughters got a pot on the other side. No flame on their side though. Water in a pot and spices you like (Cinnamon) makes a great air freshener. I used quite a bit though. They got to stir their own pot and it made them feel good about themselves. I now have an 11 year old who loves to cook. She is really good at it too. My 6 year old is getting pretty good as well. I don't believe that teaching your children the safe way to do something can ever be done too early.

I allow my 3 and 7 year old help me with things that don't involve the stove! Like making sugar cookies, and lasagna, etc. I have a rule in my house that the kids aren't allowed in the kitchen when mom is in there cooking with the stove on.

My 7 year old can use the microwave, i will wait about 4 more years to allow her to cook eggs, and maybe french toast!

I teach my little girl to cook but i dont let her have any sharp objects or touch the cooker id sit her at the table or at the counter on a chair and let her mix up batter or poor water into the pan as long as its a cold pan and water. I also make cookies and stuff with her id let her roll the dough and use plastic cutters to cut shapes out and stuff she loves it. Shes a fussy eater too and i find shes more willing to try different foods if she's had a hand in making them.

I think its good to teach them these things coz when thier older they can take care of themselves. My Nana taught me how to bake when i was little and i wanted to teach my daughter coz no-one taught my sister and she cant even boil an egg she's expecting her first child in september so she's finding it harder now than if she'd learnt when she was little. I think cooking is a great tool it also allows them to use common sense as well as thier own imagination and its a life skill that everyone needs to know.

My mom never allowed me in the kitchen not for fear of getting hurt but in case I *showed her up* so needless to say when I moved out I cooked and relished it.

I take great pride when my kids want to help out in the kitchen and as long as it's not something dangerous I'm all for the help!

My kids have been in the kitchen with me for as long as I can remember. Even when I feel like sometimes I would just rather do it myself than deal with the mess, I still let them. And they DO make a mess! But the fun we have and the pride in their faces that they helped mom make cookies or dinner is worth it all.

I have had both of my kids helping in the kitchen for as long as I can remember. They can help with mixing or mashing or just putting things away. My 7 year old started working on the flat grill last year. Just simple things and with supervision.(me standing right there).

I let the guys start helping prepare the meals when they were about 3 as well as baking. My youngest took so much he was baking by himself by the time he was 5 years old. His favorite to thing bake is pineapple upside down cake which he first prepared by himself 6.

Now they really help w/dinner unsupervised and can prepare many simple dishes on their own if need be (they will make hot dogs and mac n cheese, eggs, pancakes, etc by themselves).

Edit: I had the flipside of what you had growing up. My mother was a pillhead (relatively legally, she bounced from doc to doc, stocking up and getting scripts) and was zoned out most of the time leaving me to care for my younger brothers most of the time because my dad worked so many hours. From 7 on I prepared meals regularly for them.