OK folks, jr. is ready to start cooking and it scares the pants off you. But that’s ok.  A little fear is a healthy thing. But don’t let it paralyze you.

Kids as young as 8 can slowly start to cook on their own.  Small, simple dishes that don’t require a lot of alone time at the stove are a great way to get started and build confidence.  Giving a kid confidence in the kitchen is a lifetime gift, and sometimes, you’ve got to loosen up a little and let the magic happen.

I’m not advocating turning over the keys to the kingdom and walking away, far from it in fact.  But by taking the time to get your little angel used to working with the tools and appliances in the kitchen, you’ll be giving them a gift that lasts a lifetime. And can quite possibly make things a little easier for you too.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have dinner, even just once a week, totally taken care of?

BUT – if you seek the same level of expertise that you have, after years of school, and jobs, and just living on your own, you’ll be disappointed.  Just like they learned the alphabet one letter at a time, they’ll learn how to cook one dish, technique, or ingredient at a time.

Kids are more likely to try eating something new if they had a hand in making it.  I can’t tell you how many kids in my cooking camps have tried new, interesting, or just plain weird dishes that they were certain they’d never like.  A big hit? Roasted Veggie Lasagna. With eggplant. And bell peppers. And all sorts of veggies they proclaimed an extreme aversion to.  For real.

Here’s a checklist for you, so that you can help facilitate kitchen learning:

• Relax a little. If you’re clear about what you expect (no to knife fights, yes to cleaning up after themselves) and are supportive and show good humor, your child will want to spend time in the kitchen with you.  That’s the first step to building their confidence and skill.
• It’s only food. If a dish goes horribly wrong, laugh about it.  The best thing about food is that even if you or your child makes the worst dish known in the history of man, you’ll get to eat again in a few hours.  You’ll even have a funny story to tell!  But be careful here – you don’t want to be perceived as making fun of your child.  No one wants to be made fun of or made to feel like they’re a failure.  Share the blame (come on – they’re just a kid!)and find something to laugh about – together.
• Try really hard not to project your own food issues on to your kid. I know you don’t like mushrooms.  I know that you would never eat sushi in a million years.  But that doesn’t mean your child won’t, so let them figure it out for themselves.
• Take the time to teach your child a few of your own tricks in the kitchen. If you don’t have the time, skill, or inclination, register your kid for a cooking class.  You know more than you think you know, and it will be interesting and exciting to your child. Really.  If that doesn’t work, there are many qualified children’s cooking instructors (ah hem…) around the country who are ready to show your child their tricks of the trade.  Classes are inexpensive for the skills learned and are a great investment in your child’s cooking future.

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