It is pass in any part of the world, to assume that only girls should spend time in the kitchen, or worse, that only women should, or can cook. Little boys who will soon grown into young men ought to know as much as little girls on how the things they eat are prepared. It is a very old generation of men who confess that the only meal they know to prepare is baked beans on toast. Children love to help prepare food and to cook because they can employ their imagination, use their brains and put their hands, and of course, their little mouths, to good use. Not many of life's lessons can be taught in such pleasant surroundings, overflowing with joy and with the potential of multiple discoveries, as in a kitchen.
Children also love to eat the foods they help in preparing.
Fussy eaters will do well in assisting with simple tasks like making porridge, boiling an egg or baking cookies. And never mind, if no one else in the family really likes burnt bread or over-boiled stew, if your children have helped you bake or make it, they will adore it. Invite your children, and those of your friends, your neighbours and your family, into your kitchen on a day when you have lots of time, energy and patience. You may well expect an astonishing amount of ingredients missing, a rather messy kitchen table, make that a rather messy table, and also reckon on showers for everyone as soon as the task at hand is completed. But it is worth the effort.