Chase has always been my helper in the kitchen but lately I’ve been trying to think of ways to give her a little more responsibility and some new experiences. At dinner tonight she asked about dessert. I hadn’t planned on it but then I remembered a lone box of pudding leftover from something. I think I bought it to try to tempt Avery into eating something but she decided firmly against pudding some time ago and isn’t budging on that one. So I offered it to Chase. I told her that she could have some dessert if she would make it and she was really eager to make something for everyone to enjoy.
I’ll admit, I don’t like pudding either and I feel pretty strongly that it’s something easy enough to put together from kitchen staples BUT Jell-o pudding is kind of brilliant for this purpose. She started to whine when I told her to read the recipe. ”But, I CAN’T read!” She protested. So I pointed out the pictorial directions on the back of the box and she was thrilled. ”I need two cups of milk!” She even managed to mix it without complaining that her arm would fall off. I was impressed. I also liked that the pudding is cooked over relatively low heat so she’s not standing in front of a giant flame. I used a big enough pot on a small enough burner that I thought she could handle being at the stove though I did have to remind her to look at her pot and not at me. She totally gets that whole hanging out in the kitchen and chatting thing but geez, one thing at a time.
It’s an individual kind of thing deciding when a child is old enough to stand at the stove and I certainly wouldn’t let her use it unassisted but I think this was good for her. She was really proud that she made dessert for everyone. Even though Avery refused to eat it I managed to choke down a few spoonfuls. I don’t abhor vanilla quite as much as chocolate.
Next, have her make me a sandwich. I hear it builds character or something.
thats awesome! I like how she was happy there were picture directions. The girls love making pudding here. Its one of their faves! And it makes the pudding taste that much better to them when they make it :) good luck in her wanting to be independent. They really do grow quickly.
That doesn’t surprise me at all, your girls are so responsible and independent! I just wish someone had told me about pudding sooner. I never buy it because I don’t like to eat it.
That is awesome…and inspiring! I was wanting to show Skyler how to break eggs the other morning, but he wanted nothing to do with it. He did beat the eggs and explained how daddy had showed him that the whites have to be totally combined with the yolks. I am going to try pudding. Vanilla pudding is better than chocolate??! Huh?
You’ve inspired me to cook with the kids this @
This weekend! @#$ phone! :)
I want to hear about it!