Teaching Teens through the Art of Cooking

Every parent has that one phrase that their children identify as their "tagline." It's those words that are consistently uttered, sending their children's eyes rolling and extracting the, "Yeah yeah, I know, you've told me before.." thoughts from their minds. Of course, these catch phrases would not be so repetitive if they were not worth some sort of benefit. Am I right?

To this day, my Father still reminds his four children the importance of, what he has titled, 'Brown's Law'.
"According to Brown's Law," he begins, ignoring the usual here-it-goes-again expressions on our faces, "The key to success is that it is not about what people think of you. It is about how they feel about themselves in your presence."

Despite the initial annoyance of the daily reminder in my teenage years, I have grown to greatly appreciate those words. I now understand the value of his "tagline" and the true meaning behind it. I've experienced it, and more importantly, it has helped to shape who I am today. And as much as every child hates to admit it, I have to say: my Father was right.

The point of this specific post is not to learn of ways to distract you're children from their teenage lives. It's not to force them to turn off the television (or Mad Box, as it was referred to in my house), and retreat to a reading corner. And it's not to outline what is right and what is wrong. This post, instead, offers a creative alternative to getting your children involved. A technique in which they are indirectly and unconsciously learning life long skills while simultaneously building a relationship with you, each other, and opening the lines of communication. This practice is called, the Art of Cooking.

My Husband always says that the most important room in the house is the Kitchen. "The Kitchen is the center of a home. It is where families gather, where important decisions are made, and where home entertainment begins. More importantly, it is the ideal space for creative outlet."

Although it may take more time, and much more patience on your part, the payoff to cooking with your teens provides both short term and long term benefits. You create an opportunity for them to develop a variety of skills and to think creatively while being mindful and responsible.

As any chef knows, all recipes begin with a list of ingredients. Grab your recipe and appoint your team tasks. Begin by listing off the ingredients, and designating who shall get what. This small "to-do" provides a fun and quick way for your teens to learn and understand how you organize. Of course, ask them to keep note of where their ingredient was retrieved as it must go back in it's proper place.

Skill development continues while prepping the ingredients. During this time, your teens develop a variety methods. They learn a of different prepping techniques, from chopping to mixing and the importance of properly thawing and washing.


If you ever want your child to appreciate washing his/her hands, have them work with raw meat! Uck!


In addition, the prep work is the perfect time to practice mathmatical skills. Allow them to measure the ingredients, using fractions to prepare the correct portion sizes.

Be patient and observe, especially if this is their first time cooking a meal. Understand that you are teaching them skills that may be utilized as they enter their college years, or more importantly, when they finally move in to their first home. Offer them guidance, yet respect their involvement. Let them enjoy it and allow it to become a family experience. When help is needed, offer your assistance. Show them a technique, then ask that they continue on their own - praising them at their accomplishment.


Allow your teens to follow the instructions themselves, asking you questions as needed. Promote this as an opportunity for them to be creative - as they can alter the recipe as much or as little as they like... adding their own twist to things. One of my favorite recipes for this kind of experimentation is soup (the other being pizza). In this instance, we created a Thai Chili Soup. Although we did not have the exact word-for-word ingredients, we creatively substituted alternatives... and the result was delicious. In putting our heads together, we exercised our strategic thinking capabilities and creative problem solving skills. It is very realistic that the end result may not be what you expect, you aren't Chef Boyardee afterall. However, use this as a bonding experience to laugh it off and instantly created an inside joke. After all, "If at first you don't succeed, try try again," and, "practice makes perfect."

My two favorite life lessons learned from cooking are Responsibility and Healthy Choices. Let your teens take ownership of the dishes they are preparing. This will open them to the idea of trying new foods, increasing their awareness in local goods and expanding their knowledge into endless techniques.

In the kitchen, most cooking methods involve the use of heat. One of the first lessons any child learns in the kitchen is to keep your fingers away from the stove top. Allow your teens the opportunity to learn responsible cooking. As we seared the outside of our main entree, Yum Yum Pork, we cautioned everyone to be mindful and stay focused and aware of how the heat can dramatically affect the aroma and texture of the meat. We spoke of preventative actions and always paying attention to what you are doing.

The completion of their hard work was featured in their cuisine. My Husband and I were able to witness their self esteem shine, priding themselves in their accomplishment. Rather than watching Snookie on Jersey Shore or restlessly wrestling with a game controller, they obtained satisfaction through skill development, family bonding, creativity, and responsibility. Of course, you can't tell them that ;) but you can observe it and know that you were a part of it.


Teens, Cooking, and Preventing Substance Abuse:
Extracted from WebMD


The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University offers a report, Family Matters: Substance Abuse and the American Family, that outlines 10 steps parents can take to prevent substance abuse. Among them are three that directly relate to cooking with your family:

1. Be caring and supportive of your child.
Parents get many opportunities to compliment and support their children while they're in the kitchen together. How important is this? Parental praise, affection, acceptance, and family bonding-- as perceived by children-- are all associated with a reduced risk of substance abuse. An excellent relationship with either parent is associated with a reduced risk for substance use than the average teen.


2. Open the lines of communication.
Kids having fun in the kitchen, elbow to elbow, are likely to interact with each other and with their parents. Cooking together gives parents and children time together to talk and share thoughts and stories. "Communication doesn't start when your child is 17," says Ross Brower, MD, deputy medical director for the Weill Cornell Medical Center. "It should start when your child is 3."


3. Eat dinner together regularly.
Involving your kids in the kitchen is a big stepping-stone to getting them to appreciate family meals. Because of challenging work, school, and sports schedules, many families struggle to sit down to even one daily meal together. But you can start by maximizing weekend opportunities to eat together.

Until next time,

Suburbanista

Much thanks to my Husband, Steven, and my brothers and featured Chefs, Dan and Sean.


Citations


"Cooking With Your Children." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/cooking-with-your-children>.


Davis, Amanda. "What Are The Benefits Of Cooking With Kids? | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM. 9 Aug. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/199531-what-are-the-benefits-of-cooking-with-kids/>.

"Benefits of Family Cooking." The Global Gourmet ®. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0997/famcook.html>.