How can my children help with dinner?

Right before dinnertime, kids tend to get overexcited. They’ve rested up after school, finished their homework, and perhaps are anxious for a parent to arrive home from work. This is a great time to have your kids help with preparing the meal. Even toddlers can be given a job to do -- something as simple as putting napkins on the table. Older kids can stir the sauce or, with supervision, chop vegetables. Teenagers who like to cook can be assigned one night a week to fix a meal for the entire family.

Make sure the task is age-appropriate (no sharp utensils for little ones). Thank them for their efforts and overlook the less-than-perfect. Who cares if a recipe didn’t turn out exactly as planned, or a little milk is spilled in the pouring? Keep the goal in mind: enjoyment and healthy habits.

Kids can:

• Tear lettuce up for a salad
• Mash yams or potatoes for, as my kids say, smashed potatoes
• Snap green beans and pea pods
• Shuck corn on the cob
• Assemble lasagna, sandwiches, and salads
• Read recipes and ingredients aloud to you (a great way to improve their reading skills)
• Measure dry and wet ingredients (sneak in a little math while they’re at it)
• Decorate the table -- paper placemats and crayons are all they need
• And finally, do the dishes (but don’t expect that to be done without a little resistance)

From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children by Jennifer Trachtenberg.

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Your children can help with dinner by being initially designated with some fun responsibilities, a little at a time, until self-internalization of the responsibilities takes over. Setting the table, pouring the drinks or helping cook can be great ways to start!