4 Hudson Valley Parent
n
Spring 2020
ready to step in with a
bit instruction if frustra-
tions mount. Remember,
however, young children
should never be left un-
supervised.
4. Let them be
It may be a natural ten-
dency for parents to
want to take over in
situations where they're
trying to teach, but in
this case, it's usually best to step back.
Let the flour hit the floor. Know a mess
will be made and that things may turn
out less than perfect. Hands-on effort
is where creativity blooms and learning
happens. Let go. Prove to
yourself – and your teen
– that you are confident
in his or her abilities and
support your kid's cre-
ativity and moves toward
independence.
5. Celebrate
Set a beautiful table with
your teen for the dish
or meal. Post pictures
of the fabulous creation
for friends and family to see and share
in. It doesn't matter if things get burnt,
the cupcakes are flat or dish is less than
stellar. Celebrate the effort. After all, the
value and fun are in the doing and worth
celebrating.
By the time your kid
heads off to college, your
young adult will have
expanded creatively,
amassed a collection of
tried and true recipes, and
have mountains of kitchen
memories. Sounds like a
recipe for success.
Stacey Hawkins is a CIA
trained chef and mom who
combines the best (and worst!)
of both passions into easy-to-
use systems that empower you
to make good food, fast and
easy, StaceyHawkins.com.
Find how-to meal
and snack recipes for
teens, plus DIY crafts,
unplugged activities
and more at HVP on
Pinterest, Home with
the Teens.
