It’s almost Thanksgiving, a time that many parents spend in the kitchen.  For the occasion, some simple steps towards making the kitchen a child happy space

The kitchen is where food is transformed through cooking, where the rhythms and routines of the day and week are marked by the meals we make, where children are nourished by the food they eat and nurtured by the tasks they accomplish.

Children need healthy nourishment:

• Choose whole, unprocessed food when possible – fruits, vegetables, whole grains.
• Support local food and eat organically, eat seasonally and colorfully.
• Offer a variety of food at meal times, and don’t be discouraged by picky eaters, gently offer all sorts of possibilities without entering into a power struggle over food choices.
• We sometimes “eat through our eyes” –prepare meals which are aesthetically pleasing and fun!
• Encourage independence by having a shelf or drawer or basket filled with healthy snacks and fruits, so that the children can help themselves and learn about taking care of themselves.

That said, sometimes feeding children can be a real challenge!  The thing that has helped me most is to be patient and consistent about offering a variety of food, not to get discouraged (easier said than done when no one will touch the ratatouille that took five hours to make–note to self: keep it simple), and not to get into a power struggle over food.

Include Children in Mealtime Tasks – preparation through clean up:

• Children love to cook and bake, and it is important for them to work and to feel they can contribute to the well-being of the family, and contributing helps children gain a sense of their own abilities, and a sense of self-reliance.
• Include children in the preparation, cooking, and in the cleanup of the meals.
• Have child-sized and child-friendly kitchen ware on hand:  appropriate knives, cutting boards, graters.
• Keep pots and pans and other kitchen ware low and accessible, so that children can reach them for playing and for helping and for putting things away.
• Have a low stool by the kitchen sink for washing dishes.
• Have sponges and dish rags, in the child’s favorite color, readily available to make cleanup fun and purposeful.

It really helps me to have my children involved in meal times.  And they like it too — nobody enjoys grating cheese more than my three-year old!  Sometimes it does make things a little harder — water gets spilled, cheese gets everywhere, or I have to clean up again after they have cleaned up, but most of the time, it is worth it to have them engaged, involved, helping.

Children need rhythm and routine:

• Rhythm and routines give children a sense of security and stability – keep mealtimes regular and predictable.
• Develop a meal time routine, and assign certain tasks to each child:  set the table, say grace, serve the meal, clear the table.
• If inspiration is an issue, or if you are in a rut, create a rotating weekly or monthly menu for which meals to make.
• Join with your friends and “share meals” – For ex., cook extra lasagna for a friend’s family one night, and receive a home cooked meal from them another night.

Keeping a regular schedule and having predictable routines helps children develop good habits, eases their transitions between activities, and gives them a feeling of security and confidence.  That’s not to say that spontaneous moments have no place, last-minute picnics in the park can be a lot of fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!