important life skill or not?

[greenvneck]

I think it's an essential life skill. My daughters are almost 18 now, but by the time they were 12 they could construct a full meal for their younger siblings if necessary, including vegetables. My 9yo and 6yo get their own breakfasts (cereal, toast, bagels, nothing difficult). By 10, I expect kids to be able to cook pasta, cook frozen foods (like french fries), make sandwiches. I know the last seems like it should be dead easy, but if one is making a couple gluten sandwiches and one gluten-free sandwich, one has to be diligent about not double-dipping the utensil into condiments/peanut butter/jelly/etc. It could take a dozen utensils (or more!) to make sandwiches for four children, so it is a skill I oversee for a long time until I see mastery.

 

That said....when dh and I first married, he didn't have a CLUE. He had been served from birth as the youngest child, and only son, from the day he was born. Now he is almost fully in charge of breakfast and lunch for himself and the kids on the weekend, packs his own lunches, makes his own breakfast, and when I have no obvious plan for dinner (rare, but it happens), he makes something from what we have and makes sure the kids are fed. You know, like a grownup. :lol::lol::D

[akmommy]

Both. :lol:

 

I've taught my family to check before taking. That way, I know that something I'm planning for a meal isn't going to get messed up b/c someone helped themselves.

 

At the same time, folks need to be able to forage for themselves, b/c Mom won't be feeding them forever.

 

:iagree::iagree: am I bad mom because I quit fixing breakfast and lunch for the rugrats as soon as they were big enough to do it on their own, I still give help where needed, but I think everyone should be able to fix themselves a simple meal.

[Paintedlady]

Definitely a life skill everyone should have, the younger the better.

[Trish]

I believe it's VERY important that everyone know how to plan, shop for, and cook meals. I say this as someone whose own mother could not make more than tuna helper and pumpkin pie until the age of 45 (when she finally started learning how to make spaghetti and other things). I also could not cook more than an egg, can of soup, or mac & cheese until I married at 19yrs. I learned to cook on my own with the help of a Betty Crocker cookbook and several telephone calls to in-laws. Eventually, a Filipino SIL and a stint in an Anabaptist community helped me grow in that area.

 

If you were looking for Filipino recipes online, where would you look? I have a Filipino acquaintance who is a FANTASTIC cook. I don't want to bug her for recipes, but I'd love to try making some authentic dishes that I can find readily available ingredients for.

[Peela]

If i had 7 kids, I imagine it could get a little chaotic with everyone helping themselves- but still, I am sure it all sorts itself out.

I was fussy for a long time and didnt allow the kids to help themselves to whatever was in the kitchen, except for fruit. But they still had to make their own cereal and sandwiches.

Neither are especially interested in cooking- dd17 can make plenty of good egg dishes and can easily whip up eggs on toast for half a dozen people. Also salads etc. But neither have shown much interest in cooking beyond pasta, eggs, sandwiches, microwave stuff etc. Its one of the things I feel I "failed" at with homeschooling- I really thought it would be something I would focus on and they would be great cooks- I especially wanted my son to cook (and presumed my dd would be interested). But they didn't show much interest at all and I didn't push it much either, so it just didn't happen. Still, both have the intelligence to learn for themselves if they so choose.

[Melissa in Australia]

essential skill.

My children ( not ds7) all have a night of coking tea ( dinner).

they all make their own lunch, and they usually cook it, sometimes quite elaborate meals. they also know how to make bread from scratch, how to butcher a pig, brew ginger beer, bottle fruit (canning) make a variety of pickles and ketchup and grow vegetables.