I think it's very, very sensible to show kids around the kitchen and warn them of the dangers ie; knives, glasses, hot surfaces/appliances. IMO (although it really depends on the maturity of the child) nine is OK to start letting them have a little go with things - if they do it under your supervision a few times they soon learn. The thing is - if you dont guide and advise they could end up having an accident when they try (which they inevitably will) on their own

Mine were all making tea/coffee/toast etc by the time they were about 8...

The 12 year old now can do a few basic things...eggs, bacon, beans on toast, pizza, fish fingers...and he even washes up after himself!

I think children should be taught early as possible how to use things in the kitchen safely. Having said that I have a 21 year old who left the oven on the other night and went to bed. I was woken by the smoke alarm. He melted the handle on the grill and it took us all night to get rid of the smoke and the smell.

I have an eight year old daughter who is very mature and responsiblle and seven yr old son who isnt lol. If im honest longcat i think mine are a bit young, was actually wondering the oher day when i could get my daughter to make me a coffee. There are many safer ways of letting them help in the kitchen so they feel involved imo

Every child is different though and you're her mum so it's up to you what you do xx

You know when your child is mature enough. Both mine are banned from the kitchen now and are only allowed to use the microwave if I am in bed. They are 21 and 31.

See this is where the like button would be good....or a post rating button!!

Well i think, they need to learn by example, so it is a good idea to show them certain things.
Its been flumoxing me all morning, as i allowed her to use the kettle under my supervision, and she was fine, but im not sure if i would want her to use it when i am not there.

All good practise i suppose.

Well that's the thing, i was at that age, but its been noted by a few people this morning that, they were using kitchen appliances like the kettle at this age, but they wouldn't allow their children.

Maybe it depends on the maturity of the child and what stage they are at.  

I don't see anything wrong with teaching them these things.. no doubt i still have to follow behind them and mop the puddles of tea, crumbs etc up lol

lol, yes it has been known for one of us adults to leave the oven on.... more than once

Oops that should have been Eve (Op) not longcat lol

All mine were in the kitchen doing stuff by about 10...mind you at the same age I was cooking roast dinners...

*likes*

For now, it looks like i am to follow her around whenever she is in there.

Its normally more mess to clear up after them anyway. lol

Roast dinners!! 

I remember helping with the twin tub washing day.. took all bloody day, and the making of cups of tea, and toast.

I wouldn't trust my kids to boil a kettle, at ages 20/17/14 they've not mastered the art, and continue to serve cold coffee.


As a child, I was making toast on a grill, boiling the kettle on the gas etc at around 10.


I think you know your own childs capabilities, I don't think it's a bad thing showing them and introducing them to the kitchen, and every day chores. You know how sensible they are, and how much you can trust them.

What that lass said   Mind you, I wouldnt want them alone with the gas even at 16/17 ... too cautious??

haha, that's how i got out of it.

I didn't make them the way they liked them, or deliberately gave the one who didn't like sugar the one with sugar in..

Do kids get given their own steet door key these days, It was a big thing when I was growing up,
Both my parent worked, so I had the key, they didn't trust my older brother with it, and my sister was considered too young.

Mine all got theirs when they started Secondary school at 11

Sometimes the older ones are more lackadaisical about these things than the younger ones lol

Its when they are not concentrating, and never let older members of the family/partners etc near the kitchen when they are under the influence!.. the carnage,( its us fools who clear up after them) and you MAY have to turn the oven of after them 

My daughter (now aged 28) loved to do stuff in the kitchen. My husband always used to go on and on about how he loved porridge and I wouldn't make it. When she was about ten she decided to make him some one Sunday morning - she bought him breakfast in bed. He nearly choked - she'd put in a tablespoon of salt instead of a teaspoon!

Incidentally she is a great cook now and makes fabulous cakes!

28 year old daughter Soozy?!  You don't look a day over 30! 

in the olden days it must have been felt that kids were safe enough in a kitchen  at at least age 11 cos when you went to high school you started Domestic science lessons.. but before that, if you were in the brownies, you were taught how to make a fire and cook on it.. ok was only sausages adn chocolate banana but it was cooking

for me, if a kids can see over the counter top then I reckon tis ok for them to do kitchen things..  and the odd cut and scald is all part of the learning process anyway..  yeah I know that sounds a bit cruel but you can't wrap kids in cotton wool forever they have to learn..

my first kitcheny type thing was helping my Mother  make her apple pies and sitting at the kitchen table rolling out the pastry at a very early age.. and then I progressed to the bigger stuff the older I got.. by the time I went to high school I could cook a full on dinner. .

I've been watching Jnr Masterchef Australia on Watch. .the youngest contestant is 9 yrs old and a far better cook than most adults I know

Same here RZB, I was doing a lot of things at a young age, but I wouldn't let mine do the same.  Funny really.  Dunno why... maybe over cautiousness.....

Good genes and moisturiser dahling

Awww, well you're very lucky! 

Well exactly, I'm pleased you mentioned the Jnr Masterchef. They will have been taught how to use all the appliances, with supervision, then without. I suppose you can see them as being more conscientious about safety, it comes hand in hand with cooking, and they will also know what it is like to get the odd burn or cut.

My 2 love to bake cakes, biscuits etc, but hate the clearing up. They have to learn by example, and instruction, so the earlier they do, the more they pick up and master.


By god, i will have her making my cuppa's before long  (joke)


Not

My 9 year old won't even get himself a glass of water so I think we'd all die of thirst waiting on him to get to grips with the kitchen   Once I've managed to teach him how to do that I'd say milk in the cereal would be the next step for him.

@ Ella, they also learn young, how to not do what you want them too.

At least we have the  icon!

I work on the theory, if you I want something doing, I do it yourself, but I guess in real terms we are making them lazy. But there's only so many louzy drinks you can drink. 

*prints off this thread to show it to Finn*

my two deliberately make me nasty cups of tea so i don't ask them to do it in future!!

*Buys him a stool so he can reach the sink*




My oldest does that, the last time i got a decent cup was when she wanted money 

Its good to show them how to do things safely in the kitchen, but if it were me i would always be on edge and right behind them every time they were in there.

It is good they are learning with you depending on the age to be left alone it is something I cant answer as all kids are different, accidents can happen even if you are an adult I think we can judge better when it is our own kids,I honestly cant remember what age mine were ... it was to long ago

Eve, I think you have to make a judgement, depending on how sensible/mature your daughter is.
My sons helped out in the kitchen from a young age and I think they have benefited from it. All of them can cook to a reasonable standard and they were given washing up duties, too - so that they didn't think a wee fairy came in and cleared up afterwards.

My daughter has been making coffee for about two years. Shes just 14. i know lots of kids who make tea and coffee from about 9/10 my friends kids make their own dinner at 10 and 13 when shes at work.

I think its your call, you know them best and if you think they are ready they probably are. Remember kids in some countries are practically running a house at that age

   


 I can't even remember how old i was when i made a cup of tea by myself, i think i was 8 or 9 and it was Mothers day, and she got a cold cup of tea and a soggy bit of toast  

She drank it though, so she got plenty more the same haha




Yogi 

Oh yes, they have to learn to clear up as well, all part and parcel.

I was just laughing at someone in my status about this topic, and she says how young she was when she started doing the ironing!! ironing i said, i don't even do it now!


Bad word. 

I hate ironing now, but when I was about 10 I nagged my mum to teach me how to iron - big mistake, huuuuuuge mistake! When I left home, my youngest brother said, Yogi has left her ironing board behind. I was the only one who did any ironing so he thought it was mine.