Have you watched Disney's Ratatouille? Here’s the movie summary from IMDb's website:
There’s this one very funny scene where Remy is under Linguini’s chef hat and he’s pulling Linguini’s hair trying to control his movements while cooking. Basically, the rat is on his head and steering him around the kitchen like a marionette, causing all kinds of funny results. The two are learning how to work together while they cook together.
Remy is a young rat in the French countryside who arrives in Paris, only to find out that his cooking idol is dead. When he makes an unusual alliance with a restaurant's new garbage boy [named Linguini], the culinary and personal adventures begin despite Remy's family's skepticism and the rat-hating world of humans.
Well, that’s me and my triplets. We’re trying to learn how to work together while we cook together. Cooking is NOT one of my strong suits. Oh, I can do it, but I don’t like it. When the kids are gone I survive off of peanut butter sandwiches or leftovers. It’s a great weight loss program. So how do I make things interesting for both my kids and I in the kitchen?
The answer came one day by accident.
I was in the kitchen preparing dinner and H was under my feet.
“What’s that?”
“How come you put that in there?”
“Can I look?”
“Let me stir!”
I was about to come unglued. I turned to H and said “Are you trying to be a Little Chef?” I was thinking about that rat pulling Linguini’s hair and how it drove him nuts. But, she thought that I was making a joke and she loved the nickname! The Little Chef was born. Now every night one of the kids takes turns being my Little Chef. By the way, my son now calls me Big Chef. I’d like to think it’s because I’m taller than him.
This has been so fun. What started in a moment of frustration has turned into one of our most enjoyable times of the day as a father/daughter or father/son. I get one-on-one time with them, dinner gets made, and the kids learn how to help me and make a dish. We usually laugh a lot, and I get to tell them what a great job they're doing. Of course, kids always love hearing their parent tell them that they are doing a good job.
Last night was Waffle Night. A favorite in our home. There were many opportunities to teach.
Science: how does the batter turn into a waffle?
Math: what does 1 1/3 cup look like? What’s 1/3 of something?
Machines: DON’T PUT YOUR FINGERS NEAR THE HAND MIXER! (Just kidding, in case my ex is reading this too.)
There have also been a few unexpected benefits of the Big Chef/Little Chef experiment. I’m learning to attach other kitchen duties to the title of Little Chef! Now Little Chefs are also responsible to help set the table, carry over glasses, put ingredients away, and help me pack lunches for the next day!
What a blessing for me as a Dad! I get extra help, stuff gets done that I used to have to do, we spend good time together, and they WANT to help me.
You get what I’m talking about, Dads. Make the moment about more than just cooking. Make it about teaching them and spending time with them. Try to find a way to turn something you don't look forward to doing into something fun. Make separating laundry into a game about colors. Picking up toys can be a time to sing a silly song together. And almost any chore can become a conversation about serving others and putting yourself last.
Don’t tell anybody, but I kind of like being in the kitchen now.
