Little Chefs Need Culinary Skills
Your child is impulsively climbing your counter and grabbing toward your cutting board to sneak a handful of the crunchy goodness you’re chopping. YIKES!
This is a big sign that your child is ready to be more involved in the kitchen activities.
But not so fast, little one — knives are sharp!
It’s time to involve your child in the slicing and the dicing in a safe, age-appropriate way.
In short, your child needs lessons.
And developing confidence in the kitchen involves so much more than following an easy recipe. Food preparation is an essential life skill, and your child deserves to know how to do it right.
Fancy knife chopping skills don’t come out of nowhere. Trust us - the key to helping your budding chef involves a little bit of planning and know-how.
We’ve narrowed down the stages of developing independence and confidence in the kitchen into five unique levels, and we’ll help to assess where your child is along that journey.
Then we’re going deep into the art of creating delicious, nutritious food not just for but with our children on their learning level.
This is a big sign that your child is ready to be more involved in the kitchen activities.
But not so fast, little one — knives are sharp!
It’s time to involve your child in the slicing and the dicing in a safe, age-appropriate way.
In short, your child needs lessons.
And developing confidence in the kitchen involves so much more than following an easy recipe. Food preparation is an essential life skill, and your child deserves to know how to do it right.
Fancy knife chopping skills don’t come out of nowhere. Trust us - the key to helping your budding chef involves a little bit of planning and know-how.
We’ve narrowed down the stages of developing independence and confidence in the kitchen into five unique levels, and we’ll help to assess where your child is along that journey.
Then we’re going deep into the art of creating delicious, nutritious food not just for but with our children on their learning level.
Learn How To...
- identify your child's developmental readiness for kitchen tasks
- introduce kitchen tasks to your child
- breakdown a recipe for a child
- support your child safely
If you're ready to start working in the kitchen with your child, let's get to work! We have two weeks of interactive group coaching video lessons, resources, and discussions.
Plus, you’ll get a bonus two weeks of active support from Aubrey and Nicole. At the end of the course, you'll have your own community of like-minded parents to help support you and your child.
Here's Everything You Need to Know
WHEN: Enrollment begins September 26 at 8:00am CST and ends October 1 at 8:00pm CST | Course starts October 7WHO: This course is for parents and caregivers of children between ages 2 and 6
WHERE: The content and community will take place entirely inside a private Facebook group
Mark your calendar and join us for a cooking adventure.
Join Us If…
- you have (or will have) a child 2-6 years old
- you’re interested in cultivating a healthy relationship between your child and food
- you need support in making the kitchen more accessible to your child
How It Works
When you enroll in the course, you will be directed to join a private Facebook group. This will be our online classroom. You'll download your Weekly Guide to start your work.Aubrey and Nicole will go "Live" on video twice. On Tuesdays, we'll introduce the weekly topic and give you concrete information about helping your child become independent in the kitchen.
We will also devote time in the Live video for a Q&A. (Yes, you can ask questions ahead of time!) We want to provide real-time support based on your own needs.
Our course is designed to work well in any time zone. If you miss the Live videos, you'll be able to watch the recordings at your leisure. Throughout the course, you'll check into the group forum to see inspiring quotes, read interesting articles, and participate in thoughtful discussion questions about the week's topics.
The Course Schedule
Week 1: Your Child's Independence
During this week, we will be talking about your child's developmental readiness in the kitchen and how to cultivate a positive relationship to the kitchen.
Week 2: Breaking it Down
This week we will learn how to break down kitchen tasks and introduce them to our children. Plus, you'll get tons of inspiration on what to do in the kitchen.
Week 3 & 4: Open Discussion
But wait, we’re not done, yet! During these two weeks, the group will be opened for anyone to post. You will use these two weeks to finish assignments, review course content, ask each other questions, and discuss your challenges and successes. Nicole and Aubrey will be available to offer support. Videos and course discussions will remain available in the group for you to review anytime.
Why We Created This Course
We are both passionate about child development and Montessori-inspired living, but more importantly, we are parents of our own delightful, independent, messy, and inquisitive children! For many years, we've been on the receiving end of kind words and solid advice, and we look forward passing on our knowledge, experience, and support to you.
Hey! I'm Nicole, I write here on The Kavanaugh Report sharing how my family incorporates Montessori into our daily lives and sharing resources for Montessori parents. I also have the joy of sharing Montessori directly with parents through online classes. Most importantly, I'm a Montessori parent to three fantastic children - Henry (8), Nora (4), Augustus (2).
My relationship to cooking and baking hasn't always been positive. For many years, cooking was a necessary chore more than a source of joy. When my children were born, much of that changed. Cooking started to become an act of love and a source of connection. Working together in the kitchen has become a daily process in our home. Even my toddler can feel actively engaged in this important family task and feel the pride and joy of serving a meal to a loved one.
I've seen my children shine through this process. The confidence they have gained from learning how to participate in real and purposeful work has spread through their entire lives. Whether its baking a favorite treat or helping to do the dishes after dinner, they know they are valued and respected in the kitchen.
If you're ready for your child to have a positive and fulfilling relationship to food and working in the kitchen, join Aubrey and I for the next session of Confidence in the Kitchen.
Meet Nicole
My relationship to cooking and baking hasn't always been positive. For many years, cooking was a necessary chore more than a source of joy. When my children were born, much of that changed. Cooking started to become an act of love and a source of connection. Working together in the kitchen has become a daily process in our home. Even my toddler can feel actively engaged in this important family task and feel the pride and joy of serving a meal to a loved one.
I've seen my children shine through this process. The confidence they have gained from learning how to participate in real and purposeful work has spread through their entire lives. Whether its baking a favorite treat or helping to do the dishes after dinner, they know they are valued and respected in the kitchen.
If you're ready for your child to have a positive and fulfilling relationship to food and working in the kitchen, join Aubrey and I for the next session of Confidence in the Kitchen.
Meet Aubrey
Hi! I'm Aubrey and cooking - especially anything that involves dough - is my jam. I remember baking bread with my mother when I was a child. The flour on my hands, the stirring, the kneading, and the magical rising process as we watched the bubbles puff up our dough.
My mom always let me do the first punch to let the air escape before we put the dough back in the cupboard for a second rise. In fact, the taste of the baked bread was always a bit of an afterthought. It was the culinary process itself that excited and inspired me.
I knew that when I had children of my own I wanted to help them find the same kind of joy in food preparation. My children, now elementary age, have many, many dough memories of their own.
These days, as a parent coach, educational consultant, and a certified Montessori teacher, I help parents find the right lessons their children need at the right time. Case in point: let’s address that sharp knife we mentioned at the beginning!
My mom always let me do the first punch to let the air escape before we put the dough back in the cupboard for a second rise. In fact, the taste of the baked bread was always a bit of an afterthought. It was the culinary process itself that excited and inspired me.
I knew that when I had children of my own I wanted to help them find the same kind of joy in food preparation. My children, now elementary age, have many, many dough memories of their own.
These days, as a parent coach, educational consultant, and a certified Montessori teacher, I help parents find the right lessons their children need at the right time. Case in point: let’s address that sharp knife we mentioned at the beginning!
