Alex helps out in the kitchen

We've all made steak, potato and greens I am sure. I don't need to go into detail here....like preaching to the choir! However I felt I did need to blog about my 5 year old coming to help me make dinner the other night. The boys are very in to helping around the house at the moment and it is one skill I am encouraging whole heartedly. Just the other day Max set the table for dinner without being asked, he even managed to drag the massive vase of lilies over for a centre piece (something I was so proud of and yet had nothing to do with).
I had just popped the potatoes on to boil and was just about to start trimming the beans when Alex entered the kitchen with our trusty kitchen step in hand  and asked if he could help. He finished off the beans in record time, telling me all the while that it was necessary to do more than one at a time and that I should watch......watch I did, as I had visions of his little fingers being lobbed off (Alex isn't known for his care and calm).

 As I watched I noticed the pure joy he was getting from such a simple task and also how much care he was putting in....hmm I thought, maybe he can do more than just crack the eggs and stir flour all over the floor.

 After the beans were ready he asked what the next job was. I plonked the motar and pestle down in front of him and said, garlic butter. He grinned from ear to ear at the prospect of smashing food with his very own stone. As you can see by his facial expressions, no garlic clove was coming out whole!

I think the novelty was wearing off with Alex as the last piece of butter was going into the bowl.
"Enough butter mum, jeez, I not even going to eat it!"
With that being said I promptly took over so dinner would still make it to the table within the hour. I have to say the interest did come back when I started mashing the potatoes and he did enjoy the pounding, however he broke my rule of sitting on the bench while cooking and had to be sent off (I'm thinking it was all part of his plan because he only sat down when the fun part was over).

All in all Alex did a great job of helping with dinner. He gave his best shot, got to use knives which he loves to do and to top it all off, he makes a pretty good garlic butter....even if he didn't even try it!