My daughter, the homemaker!

T making dinner and dessert. She is holding the "Meals of many lands" cookbook that was mine as a child. Since I need simple recipes when I cook, I STILL use this cookbook today!

My 9year old daughter informed me last night that she wanted to cook dinner for  the family tonight. We had already planned tonight as an 'eating out' night so when I chose to let her do it, it really was a choice for my family and not a choice of convenience of me. I was proud of my decision (I tend to like to eat out if you hadn't heard). I put an opportunity to work with my daughter in the kitchen and teach her some cooking skills above my desire for convenience. That may seem like a no-brainer to most of you, but it had to be a conscious decision for me. I'm glad I made the right decision.
She picked out a recipe from a children's cookbook that was MINE from when I was a kid (however, the only thing I ever made out of it was apple crisp--also on tonight's menu). I'd always avoided the American fried chicken recipe because I thought it was too hard (plus it involved raw meat which I hate). She wasn't deterred (as I had been). She did an excellent job! She did all the chicken and seasoning and breading herself. I did wind up making the mashed potatoes, carrots, and mashed potat-ots (leftover potatoes and carrots that we had made with a porkloin roast last night that I decided to mash together and see how they turned out---ok, by the way, but sort of reminded me of babyfood). After getting the chicken ready she then made most of the apple crisp with only a little help from me.  She did  a really good job and dinner was delicious. I'm really proud of her and excited that she is interested and wants to learn to cook (she has been baking cupcakes and cakes on her own for about a month now too). I'm glad that instead of walking out of the kitchen and letting her fend for herself (and possibly fail and get deflated) and thus giving myself a night off from the kitchen (which is what going to the restaurant would have done), I stayed in the kitchen and helped her, and explained tips and details of cooking, cutting, mixing, greasing the pan, etc. So by staying in the kitchen WITH her I was able to help turn this into a really great experience for both of us. She learned, and felt exhilaration from doing a good job, and I got quality time with my daughter. Plus, if this continues, I MAY get a night off each week from cooking because my budding chef may take over one meal a week :)   How great would that be?
The other great thing is that if she is enjoying her cooking experiences ,she will continue to want to cook, and become a good cook as she grows up so she will know how to provide for herself and her family.
I was never that interested in cooking so I never stayed in the kitchen when my mom was preparing meals. Consequently, I came into my marriage as a wife that could only cook mac-n-cheese, hamburger helper,  and spaghetti from a jar (still my favorite kind of spaghetti by the way). It would be great for her if she became an adult with more homemaking skills than I had.
And she certainly is interested in homemaking skills. She LOVES to knit and  sew. She got a huge sewing kit from her grandma for Christmas that she has been using practically every day since! She makes all kinds of things for her barbies, and even made me a neck pillow (with grandma's help) for Christmas!
I'm really glad my daughter is really interested in these wholesome activities, that will also help her as she grows up. Thank you Lord, for blessing me with such a blessing of a daughter!  (ps, my youngest daughter is pretty :) cool too )