5 Tips When Working with Kids

Dear Readers,

Though I do not have kids, I work a lot with them and I love to bake with them. Here are my five tips for when working with kids in the kitchen.

1) Don't underestimate how much they can do. You may not think a two year old can do very much to help you in the kitchen, and it is alway easier to work with one kid, but even when working with a group of little kids, they can still stir, pour, smash, etc., and they will have fun doing it. If working with more than one kid, delegate who does what.

2) Use your senses. Even adults love to taste test. So allow kids to do the same. When working with a large group of kids, tasting the dough may not necessarily be sanitary. I allow my kids to taste the sugar, and flour by putting a little bit of the ingretants on a paper towel. Have them smell the vanilla and the spices. I have even had my kids put glove on so the could feel, and knead the dough.

3) Be willing to adjust your game plan. Your expectations on the experience may not line up with reality. Be prepared to adjust the recipe if the kid puts more of one item.

4) Be Prepared. Make sure you have all the ingredients out and ready, as well as measuring cups and spoons. It makes the process easier. I remember my grandma always doing this before we baked together when I was a kid.

5) Have Fun!

I hope these tips help you on your next adventure when cooking, or baking with a kid. I encourage you to allow the kid(s) in your life learn the fun of messing around in the kitchen and eating something they made. I found it to be very rewarding for me as a kid.

Kirsten

Confidence

I have been told time and time again, if you are selling something, you have to believe in your product and be confident. Confidence, according to Google, is defined as the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. So, to be confident in yourself and in your product is essentially trusting in you. Now this is just as important for me to hear as it is for some of you. I am my harshest critic. People always compliment me, but a lot of times those compliments go in one ear and out the other. 

Lately I have been practicing having confidence in myself. Why would someone want to buy my product if I don't even believe in my ability to make it? I developed my ideas on how to build confidence from a fitness video. It was basically saying that you need to love yourself exactly how you are right now and grow confidence that way. If you always think you are too fat or what have you, everything is affected by how you view you. The Bible talks about beauty being deeper and having to deal with the soul. I sometimes have to remind myself that I was made in the image of God; He handcrafted me. God doesn't make mistakes. I am not a mistake, and how I look is not a mistake.

So, I have been practicing this same sort of idea with my baking. I know when something I make tastes good. I know when I taste something bad, I can make it better. God gives us gifts to serve. He has given me the gift of combining ingredients together to make things that are just exceptionally tasty. It's like magic flowing hands, and I just have an instinct about when things are done; even if that means it is before the timer going off. The key here is to tell myself that I am great, but be humbled and grateful when I do receive complements. 

I am a great baker. What about you? What is your passion? What is something you are great at? Don't keep putting yourself down when something goes wrong, or you are your own worst critic. You are great too. Share, if you would like, in the comments on what you are great at. I would love to hear. 

Kirsten