Consider this: now is not the time for dinner parties of any kind. Instead, people are staying home, enjoying meals with their own nuclear families, and looking forward to the recovery period on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the world is currently mired. As billions of people around the world face mandatory stay-at-home orders due to what this writer calls The COVID-19 effect, family-oriented dinners, breakfasts, and lunches are on the rise. This is a positive effect of a bad set of circumstances, as we will see later. My mother used to say, “When they give you lemons to live on, make lemonade!” This axiom can be used literally and figuratively in this regard thanks to the circumstances that require the preparation of meals at home.
I wrote a book some time ago titled children in the kitchen, extolling the virtue of families finding common ground in the kitchen, of all places, to help cement the bonds of “unity within and between family units,” saying invite as many people as possible, always we will be able to receive the stranger in our home are vestiges, it seems, of a bygone era, and let’s face it, that is not something we can do now. But I suggest that my argument is valid for those of us who are stuck at home and want to keep the home on and the family unit intact. What happened to the good old days? You know, the days of having home cooked meals with loved ones and good conversation. Today’s fast-paced world has almost made cooking as a family event a relic of the past. You might be wondering: Who has time to cook when everyone is worried about what will happen next in the pandemic crisis? This writer says, “Take it to the kitchen!” The ray of light in the cloud can reveal the following 6 benefits, which can bring about a change of heart for you, the reader.
Bring the classroom home
Learning is something that should be promoted at all times, even when not in school. Cooking as a family is perhaps one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to do it. Turn each cake or pie into a math problem with a yummy prize by working on division and fractions. All subjects can be taught in the kitchen. Improving English or learning foreign languages can be taught through common phrases and ingredients. Social studies is a practical subject that is very easy and fun to integrate: organize a cultural dinner once a week to teach about different countries, ethnic groups or traditions (also the premise of my previously published book Kids in the Kitchen; amazon.com.)
Promotes a healthy life
In a country plagued by obesity, parents must remain on the front lines of their children’s health care. Plus, promoting healthy eating for kids can be the push parents need to eat healthier themselves. Preparing food at home takes longer than fast food and microwave options, and this lack of instant gratification puts a damper on junk food consumption. When a family cooks together, it automatically establishes a support system for those who struggle with snacking and poor food choices. An added benefit of the family kitchen is that children with food allergies can be catered for and the child can regain some control over her situation.
hand luggage tradition
Passing things down from one generation to the next has become a thing of the past. Families that cook together can continue old recipes and promote family pride while building better relationships with grandparents or extended family. Don’t you have family recipes? Without worries! You can create new ones with children. Having something to pass on builds a sense of pride and anticipation for a productive future. The storytelling tradition that surrounds those recipes is also great to pass on.
self-build
Sometimes young people just need a chance to see how good they really are. Cooking as a family can help build a person from the inside out. Kids can gain self-confidence and pride when they accomplish kitchen goals, like meeting deadlines and receiving praise for new recipes. Creativity, working well with others, and organization are also skills that can be acquired through the family kitchen.
build bridges
Cooking as a family is one of the best ways to build relationships. Conversing with children, especially teenagers, can be difficult. Doing activities in an informal setting like the kitchen while having a conversation can help reduce the awkwardness and stress caused by some conversations. Everyone loves and needs to eat, so neutral ground can ease any tension. Also, parents can more quickly tell when things are going wrong. It can be hard to tell when something is wrong with a child who is allowed to spend dinner and all of her free time in a private space. When the family kitchen is established, outdoor interactions are normal and red flags will go up faster when that suddenly stops. Tip for kids: always put dad’s TV remote back in the same place you found it!
Healthier marriage/relationships
Yes really. A marriage, especially one with remnants of a blended family, has so many factors and sometimes complex problems that, to some extent, an activity as simple as cooking as a family may not seem like a solution. However, it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Cooking as a family saves money, time and sanity. The money saved can be spent on tuition, an extra car, or home repairs that were causing stress. Spent over a period of time, the money saved can be used to bond with a spouse instead of doing the dishes alone. The more sanity you have, it will help de-stress your life, and who doesn’t need less specific stress for the problems at hand. The COVID-19 effect? No one knows for sure what will happen at the height of the coronavirus, but this writer is confident that doing family meals as a unit, including children whenever possible, is important because you’re taking care of each other’s needs, even if the children you’re helping start to seem very irritating because you’ve been putting up with them for the last six weeks. If it makes you feel better; just know that this writer’s family is no exception to the rule! By the way it is; Where is my remote?