The Motherhood Collective is grateful to Momma Lew for allowing us to share her post today! Please check out her blog at Momma Lew!

Cooking with your kids is probably one of the best things you and your child can do together! So my advice? Let go of the fact that there is going to be flour probably EVERYWHERE, sauce on the floor and you are going to have lots of dirtied utensils. So why is it so great?

The top and #1 reason: You are spending quality time together.
By giving your child the responsibility of building a meal for the whole family, they feel confident.
Builds their self-esteem!
It’s educational by learning math & reading skills – adding/subtracting, geometry, fractions, reading a recipe, etc.
Teaches them to follow directions. We all know as parents, how great this is right?
It teaches then to be patient and not to rush.
It teaches them coordination. Being able to keep that flour in the measuring cup and then actually get it in the bowl, is hard!
They’ll be more likely to eat what they cooked, meaning they will try new foods and eat more fruits or vegetables.
They become independent and self-sufficient!
You are teaching them a skill that will last a lifetime!