One of my favorite chefs is Rachel Ray. I have a few of her books and I generally love her ideas. One of her ideas involves letting children in the kitchen when you cook. This one makes parents nervous sometimes; yet, it can be a thrill for the children when dishes turn out well. The look of pure joy on the faces of my children the first time they prepared a dish was priceless!

So, how do you allow your children to help; yet, keep safety a first priority. For me, and you may be different, they were not allowed to handle a knife until I knew they could heandle a pencil with some skill and use scissors with confidence. The muscles needed to handle these two tools are the same for using a knife. I also started them out with a dinner knife. Then I allowed them to use an older one with a slightly dull blade, and small in size.

I knew it did not slice as well as a new and sharp one; however, it allowed them to become confident with slicing and most foods worked well for this idea. After they mastered these, i gave them a slightly larger knife with a sharp blade. They like these and they do well with cutting strawberries, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, and even small carrots.

Another idea involves allowing children to measure. This takes skill too and I gave them the following rules:

1. Pour directly from the measuring cup, never from its orginal container. Even if you plan to use a dash or sprinkle, pour from the original container, into another item or your hand.
2. You can always add more; yet, you cannot take away. Even if a recipe calls for a certain amount, add it into the dish in small amounts. Remember, you may not want the full amount as it may be too strong in taste.
3. Always double check what amount you believe you need, and what amount you believe you measured. The difference between a tsp and tbsp is huge! This is especially true for strong flavors like cloves, garlic, and pepper.

One more idea she has is to never startle a child or grab him or her by the hand, unless there is an imminent danger. If they make a mistake, gently reassure them that it can be fixed. You may need to start over with the dish. Encourage them to learn from their error and try again. Speak in a calm voice and maintain a positive and reassuring non-verbal language.

This means not clenching your hands, rolling your eyes or frowning at them. They are small, even at 13, and need your help. You have the gift to share. Do it with love.