What Can a Two-Year-Old Do?
April 28, 2008
Did you know? In the past twenty years, the number of married Americans who report that their family "usually eats dinner together" declined by one third.
I am often asked at what age kids can help in the kitchen. My answer is, more or less, as soon as they can understand words. ("Can you take this napkin into the other room? Thank you!") I am not insane. I am not going to tell you that this is going to help you get the table set. But the earlier you get kids involved, the better off for all.
When kids help, they learn useful skills. They become part of the family team. They are less likely to be fussy eaters or prima donnas. And eventually, the enterprise becomes less of a make-work project, and more of a real contribution.
Just for fun, I made a list of some of the things that a two-year-old can do: tear lettuce, wash vegetables, unwrap bread, mix an egg. If you break down the tasks, and eliminate those that require sharp knives or high heat, you will find many that a two-year-old, or even a very clever 30-year-old, can do.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today.