cooking with kIdS

After dinner with the family, the kitchen beckoned my company and I cheerfully obliged. I asked my 5-year-old nephew Robyn if he wanted cookies and with a wide grin, he said yes. With the ingredients for oatmeal choco chip cookies laid out on the kitchen counter, I was ready to cook. But before I cracked the egg and softened the butter, this aunt asked the nephew if the latter would want to be her assistant. Robyn pulled a chair, stood up on it and with a wooden spoon on his left hand, appeared confident to mix the batter. Of course I knew the process would take us longer to finish, what with his small hands lacking strength and dexterity, but I didn’t mind. I was determined to have fun, and the boy was equally determined to help me. Minutes later, Robyn’s kuya, Pong, 7, asked if he could lend a hand too. I let him shape the cookie dough into balls. And later on, after I showed him how, he lifted the cookie sheet with a long wooden spatula from the oven when the cooking time was up. “Very good,” I affirmed him, “o wag mo hahawakan ha, mainit pa yan (don’t touch it, it’s still hot).”

The cooking lesson also became an impromptu Math session. I let the kids hold my cellphone, which served as our timer, and instructed them to tell me if it was time already. “Tita Beng, 8:21 na,” Pong would announce. “Ilang minutes na lang bago mag 8:28?,” I’d inquire. And the boy would use his chubby fingers to count. All throughout the culinary exercise, they were alive, alert and enthusiastic in helping me. They stayed with me in the kitchen until the last batch of cookies came out of the oven. No toys or treats were promised as their reward. What they got was just the privilege of being able to taste the baked goodies before everybody else.

Following our stint in the kitchen, I gave them the VCD I bought from the video store—my favorite animated film (so far), Ratatouille. Up we went to their room and this time I was the one who asked if I could join them. What better way to end my time with the kids other than by watching the rat Remy and the lanky Linguini? Sweet!

Sugar and spice and everything nice
If you can cook with kids, don’t think twice
They’ll sit at your feet and follow your lead
Let them help you with anything you need