My favorite sous chef

My mom would probably tell you that one reason I like to cook is because I get to direct people in the kitchen. I would frame it this way: I am confident in the kitchen. This means when people offer to assist, I feel comfortable sharing my method of doing things with them.

My youngest niece loves to help me cook (she really just likes to help with anything adults do – because she is awesome). She runs into the kitchen when she spies activity there and shouts, “I want to help make!”

So we get out all the ingredients, I sit her on the counter, and we “make.” I measure out the ingredients and let her pour them in the bowl and stir. She’s a great sous chef. She’s enthusiastic and relies on my direction. She also doesn’t shy away from telling other people in the kitchen what to do, if I ask her to. She’s a great sous chef.

“Ok, pour in the flour,” I say. She nods her head and says, “It’s time to put in the flowers,” and dumps the flour in the bowl.

Food for thought: Kids have a tendency to hear what adults say and make sense of it in a way that they understand. Perhaps we also do that as adults. We don’t realize it’s erroneous sometimes. As children, adults correct us when it’s important for us to understand. As adults, we typically surround ourselves with people who understand the world in the same way that we do. Thus, rarely do we accept corrections to the way we think.

Perspective is important – just ask my mom, who maintains that I am a bossy cook.

Oh, and this precious child will turn 3 this weekend!