Project: How to Get Dinner on the Table

I've always felt that it is extremely important to involve children in the purchasing, preparing and serving of family meals. We love to shop together and I ask them questions about various fruits or vegetables (i.e. find the most red apple! Which one is softer?) and have them choose some. I try to involve them as much as I can with prep work, however, our kitchen is just too small sometimes to have both children at our tiny counter right next to the boiling water or bubbling oil. Eek.

So, sometimes we work at the kitchen table but lately, the little people have enjoyed bothering mom the most. It's their recreational sport. Only when I decide to start dinner. Only then. And when someone calls on the phone, or an adult tries to speak to me. Or when I go to the bathroom...

Anyway.

I decided on the spur of the moment to get out my craft rice. I have been making some scented eye pillows lately (recipes and pattern from this book), and had a big bag of uber cheap rice in my closet. So, out came the sheet cake pan, some spoons and cups et voilá! Forty-five minutes of cooking time with only two sweep ups back in the pan.


The last spill was really colossal (courtesy of Little Ms. A) and as they tried to sweep up the grains, they ended up sweeping the rice in all directions. What was I to do? As always, I put them to work.


I think the thing I like most about the above picture is her pacifier. She's not supposed to have it during the day but, meh, I picked my battles that day.


And THAT'S how Mama got dinner on the table. Well, it worked this one time anyway.