Cooking With Kids Class - Or, Why Aren't They That Obedient at Home?

Abigail is now in her third week of Vegetarian Cooking for Kids at our co-op.  I debated about this class, as it carries a hefty class fee.  But ultimately, being that we do a lot of cooking at home, I felt it best to enroll her.  We use virtually no convenience foods at home, and we eat little to no meats aside from fish, so I thought the class would be very complimentary to our lifestyle in our home.

Now, when I cook at home or bake or even just wash up fresh veggies and fruit, I put the girls in their Learning Tower and we work together.  However, territorial wars ignite constantly..."I want to cut the strawberries!"; "I want to pour the milk!"; "I get to run the mixer!"...

Even one-on-one, delegation of assignments gets sketchy because Abigail always wants to do EVERYTHING, even when I am insistent that it is far too dangerous.  For example, at four-years-old, I do NOT want her running the pressure cooker, or dropping veggies into hot olive oil.  Call me crazy, but...

Anyway, I digress...

I have popped in on all of her cooking classes to date.  And she is quiet and compliant.  Hmmm...up until three weeks ago, I had no idea Abigail possessed those character traits.  Quite. AND. Compliant? My daughter?

Although she comes home and quickly sheds that pretense, it is still amazing to watch her happily cook with the other children and then sit down during lunch period and eat her creations with pride.

And the best part?  I get to witness this, to be a part of it all.  She happily shares with Emily and I, and we are all equally proud.  I'm not hearing about it at the end of a long school day, I am partaking in the experience with her and am able to carry the cooking lesson over to our home life.  We have reinforced and repeated the things she has made to date, (apple muffins, veggie lasagna, veggie fajitas, fresh fruit salad, mixed greens with homemade dressing...), and she is SO proud to tell ME what items we need.

I am so very grateful for my family, and also grateful for the calling I have received to educate my children at home.