Dinner Time Routines

Do your kids drive you mad when you're trying to prepare meals? We have some answers here that will help.

Remember that it's a good idea to have your kids assist with meal preparation as it gets them involved and means that it's more likely that they'll eat the meal as they have had a hand in creating or preparing it. Young kids can help to set the table. Show them how it's done first. "Watch me set your place at the table, then you can have a turn at setting my place".

Teaching my kids how to prepare food has been a great tool as we now have a 6 year old and a 4 year old who are actually interested in cooking. When starting out, stressing the importance of hand washing is vital. We have taught out boys how to handle sharp knives and cut vegetables using the "Bridge technique". We taught them to make a bridge with their hands and the knife ALWAYS goes under the bridge. This is fun for kids to learn and easy to remember. Another fantastic tool for little kids to learn how to cut food is the Kiddie Food Kutter Designed for kids to cut their own food, safely. Cuts food, not fingers! . It's less than $15!!

We also made a point of teaching them about the stove and the possible dangers. One important rule is that if either of the kids are on a stool helping to prepare a meal at the stove, a parent is with them 100% of the time and only one child can do this at a time. No exceptions. This avoids possible fighting over who gets to stir the spaghetti (because apparently this is a really important job!) and avoids accidents.

We must stress here that kitchens are dangerous places for children and they can get seriously injured without supervision. Therefore when cooking with a child we ALWAYS have a parent in the kitchen with the child. If the phone rings, the answering machine will pick up the call. Save yourself the hassle and save the kids an injury!

Our boys make great chocolate chip cookies. Click here for the recipe. They basically do the whole thing themselves now, except for getting the tray out of the oven, which of course is a job for Mum or Dad. They love mixing, pouring and measuring and of course, we always have to take turns at cracking the egg!

If tonight is not the night to have them prepare a meal with you because you just want to do it yourself and chill with a glass of chardonnay while you do it, you're going to have to keep them entertained. Hmm, good luck...but try these ideas, they work quite well with our boys.

Grab an exercise book and start writing ideas down. Rotate the activites from your exercise book as required. Ideally the activity you choose should require minimal preparation and keep your child's attention for 20 minutes or so while dinner is prepared.

For example, one of my favourites is asking them to draw a picture. Make it whatever you like. "Can you draw a picture of the train we saw today?" They sit quietly at the table and complete the task. One night recently we put Monsters Inc on the TV while preparing dinner and they both drew some excellent green one-eyed monsters, by the time they were finished...they jumped in the shower, and when they got out dinner was ready. Nice and easy AND, stress free!!

We're teaching our 6 year old to type on the computer which is the in family room adjacent to the kitchen. He concentrates well on that for a while, typing his name and address and writing very short stories.. "I went to the park to play". The other kids can share a job setting the table or packing away toys. As this is generally NOT a good time of day perhaps it would be good to find short but separate activities. Tidying bedrooms works well. Put it on the list but not one for using every other day at witching hour!

Here are some general ideas:

Drawing / writing / colouring in (make it themed as suggested above, not just draw anything you want)

Sorting recycling is quite topical given our environmental problems and one our kids are starting to catch on to.

Feeding pets is easy for the kids to do while Mum & Dads are preparing meals.

As you come up with activites that suit your family, jot them down in your book and refer back to them. When you have a few let them choose if you like. The thing to remember that kids like to have a say in what goes on around them. This doesn't mean "What would you like to do while I get dinner ready?" as it'll end up a free for all. "You can either do a drawing, or (some other chosen activity) while we get dinner ready". This way, they feel like they have some control. Now whatever the kids decide, whether it is helping you prepare dinner,drawing a picture, feeding the dog or unpacking their school bag remember PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE. I honestly believe that praise from Mum & Dad is something that kids can't get enough of. It does wonders for their self esteem and makes them more likely to continue whatever it is that they were doing. This worked a treat with cooking. Even though the flour went all over the floor when the 3 year old was cooking biscuits, he got praise for the end result and encouragement all the way through the activity. Now he is better at it and still enjoys it.

One final point about dinner routines. No one likes this time of day, but with a little effort, usually on your part (!!) you can try to turn it around. If you are cranky as so many of us are at this time of day, the little ones will pick up on it and guess what....they'll play on it! So laugh with your children if they're watching something funny on TV when you're cutting up veges. Late afternoon until bedtime with little kids can be a mind game some days and with this knowledge, you now have the upper hand.

Remember the point about praise that was just made. This will make your child feel good and happy to help out. By praise I don't mean "Thanks Johnny". Instead try, "Johnny you did a really good job at setting the table, thank you, it really helps me out and I really appreciate it". Trust me, it goes along way. Stick at it.

Have you got an idea that we could add? We'd love to hear it. Click here to send us an email.