Start at the Very Beginning: Traditions and Rituals in the Kitchen with Kids
It occurred to me a while back as my kid's elbows were on the table and and they were sitting on their knees and talking with their mouths full that we needed a brush up on our table manners. You will get to know that I am not rigid about recipes (which isn't always a bonus!) or too concerned with fancy plates and bowls.
However, I think there is something really ritual and traditional about preparing kids for cooking or a meal. It's a beautiful thing when they begin to do these rituals on their own without being asked.
One of my favorite rituals is setting the table. I have an unhealthy addiction to IKEA's fun napkins and love to have the kids set those alongside our bright plates and bowls. Setting out knives and forks is a super easy job and requires them to think about what we will be eating and what utensil it will require. Also, drinks, cups and condiments are an easy job! You can teach them the miss manners way of setting out dishes and silverware or you can get creative!
I've mentioned that we have certain hygiene steps we take before cooking like washing our hands with warm soap water but there are a few other steps that ensure your space is ready too. For example, my Wee Cooks and I always wipe down the counters we will be working on with hot soapy water. We also get all of the measuring cups and baking dishes that we might need. They help me pull all of the ingredients out to ensure we have it covered.
The Wee Cooks are used to me engaging them in various ways in the kitchen and the more I do it the more natural it all becomes. Luckily, the manners always fall back into place after some reminders. After all, they are kids!
