Last Monday I invited my friend Bridget and her daughter over for a play date and to decorate Valentine’s Day cookies. Before they arrived I decided to make the cookies and have them ready to decorate. JDaniel was watching The Cat in the Hat on television this meant I could make them without “help.”
As soon as I had the cookie ingredients mixed in the bowl, a patter of feet headed toward the kitchen. Before I could rush the dough out of the bowl and start rolling it out, I felt a plastic stepstool being knocked against my leg. “Move over Mom! I want to help you,” JDaniel announced. Apparently the Cat in the Hat had lost his attention.
I moved over and showed him what I was doing.
“I am trying to roll this dough out and cut it into hearts,” I explained.
“I need to taste!” he replied. I pinched off some of the dough and gave him a little bit.
“I will need more, please,” he told me. I gave him a little more and then started to roll the dough again.
Giving him little bits seemed like a good idea. It wasn’t a good idea. He kept trying to reach in the bowl and get more as I rolled out the dough and cut out the cookies.
I got more and more frustrated. He got more and more indignant about wanting the dough.
Thankfully my friend Bridget arrived on the scene with her daughter before the battle had really escalated.
When she saw the battle over the dough, she calmly picked up a spoon I had laying on the counter and filled it with dough.
“If you want this, you will need to go sit in your chair at the table,” she told JDaniel.
He walked right over to the table and climbed up in his chair. Once he had taken his seat, she handed JDaniel the spoon. He sat silently he licked the dough off the spoon while I finished getting the next batch of cookies in the oven.
“This happens at my house all the time,” Bridget said. “Really the best thing to do is give him his own ball of dough and let him play with it at the table.”
Why didn’t I think of that?
Why did I turn it into a battle?
Thankfully Bridget bakes often and she has gained experience on how to entertain her daughter while she cooks.
I don’t bake often, but I still should have known better.
I wish I hadn’t made a rookie baking mistake in front of her, but know what I will do next time I bake.
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They look good! And that would be typical of me too – to not think to do a simple thing to keep the kids happy (and out of my way!)
We learn every day….x
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That’s such a smart idea!
I think sometimes it takes someone else to show us. B/c we get so emotional when it’s our own kids that we can’t see a simple solution that is right in front of us.
That’s a great idea! Thanks for posting it!
I think a lot of that type of thing just comes with the situations you have been presented with as a mom. Because I know I’ve had the same feelings you did here, but I’ve also been on the flip side, like your friend.
I always drag the little kids table out and let my two little ones go to town with their own supply of dough. They have a set of small cutters and a little rolling pin that they use. Usually my son eats his all up right away and my daughter plays with hers for a long time. They also like a little cup of flour to play with. It’s messy but makes my job easier! Otherwise I too have two stools pressed to my legs with four arms reaching over my rolled out dough trying to get in my bowl. They joys of baking with little ones!
Live and learn right? That is what its all about. 🙂
Sounds like it turned out good. Lesson learned…cookies made…yummy!
🙂
That is the nice thing about being friends with other mother’s. Next time it will be your turn to pass on a tip to her.
Haha – cookie making with kids!! I remember having so much fun making cookies as a kid. I try with my kids, and hopefully they will have the same wonderful memories… but like you sometimes it turns into a struggle for me. You did great though!!!
Great idea your friend had to come to a happy compromise for everyone. Hope you all enjoy those cookies, they look delicious!
We once went to an Italian restaurant that gave Pierce his own ball of pizza dough to play with at the table while we waited for our food. And then when the food came, they took his ‘creation’ and baked it – and sent it home with us at the end. Cool huh? Worked like a charm too – he didn’t scare off a single customer, lol!
One of the many things I like about you is that you are always open to learn new things. Good for you!
Arrrgghhh…I had to access my daughters g-mail account and now I can’t get it to go back to mine!
Great blog! Loving these hops!
Please hop on by!
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i m a g i n e
Aaawww, I remember those days! Cherish them, they pass so fast. Hey, you didn’t tell us, how did the cookies turn out? Have a great weekend, Nan
I hear ya. Most of the great ideas I have had since my first are all forgotten in the moment. Sometimes it just take someone looking in on the outside to remind us. The cookies look like fun!
I guess sometimes it just takes a different perspective. What a good idea!
I see you have little hands to help you !
Great Alphabe-Thursday post! Have a great weekend and see you again soon,
Lola:)
I didn’t read all the other comments. I think you didn’t think to do this because it’s MUCH harder to think to do things like this in the heat of the moment. Everything looks easy to an outsider looking in, but being in the moment and being the one who is frustrated totally changes the game!
I’m glad I read this because I’ll try to remember the tip in the future when I’m having the same battle!
Here from MomLoop. Have a great weekend!
I hate it when I turn things into a battle that are supposed to be fun..but I do it all the time. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all it takes. I’m here from the Mom Loop…
I love this!Such a good reminder too, I tend to make things into battles when they aren’t going my way. Also, I bake all the time and never thought of that, such a great idea!
What a great idea…and thanks for sharing because now we all know for next time!
Nothing like a new set of eyes for a little perspective. There was a pizza restaurant when I lived up north that used to give the kids a little round of dough to play with while you waited for your order- GENIUS!
hey, at least your friend was there to learn from…
that is what friends are for! 🙂
Came across this post on your blog today. Great idea that I would never have thought of either. It’s wonderful that we have other women around us that we can learn from. I wonder how much your friend has learned from you. 😉