My son is four, which means my wife and I have prepared at least a few thousand meals for him. Why, then, does he whine, beg and cry for me to play with him every night while I?m trying to get dinner on the table" I imagine one day this torture will end?please tell me it will!?but until then, I need some solid strategies for keeping him entertained during dinner prep. I posted a plea on a couple of Facebook parenting groups and here?s what came back.
1. Get them to help you cook
This was the most common suggestion, and I was hopeful while reading one parent?s claim that ?every time we involve her in cooking, she is magically fascinated, well behaved and proud.? Another parent recommended that using this tactic with picky eaters (a.k.a. every child) seems to make them more likely to try new foods. You can buy a ?learning tower? (a stool-like structure that safely brings them up to the countertop) or just pull up a chair like I did. I found that this can work beautifully?or not at all. My son was great at sprinkling toppings on a pizza. And the other day, he diligently stirred a frozen brick of soup in a pot on low heat for 20 minutes while I worked on a salad. But other times, he gets frustrated that he can?t do more. Trust me, a battle of wills is the last thing you want when there are knives and spices around.
Cooking with a small child involves a lot of deep breathing and silent cringing as mayhem ensues on the kitchen counter. But in what were some of my best par...