when cook on stove unsupervised

[meemee]

... i have an extremely independent almost 8 year old who really understands boundaries, limits AND safety.

she really wants to fry eggs without me hovering around her or even in the kitchen.

would u allow them?

i am torn. i can trust her (because if she had an accident seh knows what to do), but then feel she is still only 7. or almost 8 as she loves insisting.

she cooks a lot with me and has cooked a lot independently while i am in the kitchen.

but never out of sight.

she has been cooking on the stove top since she was 6.

[robin3]

My ds has been cooking independently since he was about 8. My only stipulation is that he cleans up whatever he makes!!! Sometimes the creations are very interesting.........
he made stir fried cucumbers once..........
actually, they were quite good!

[Alyantavid]

I would let her. My 8 year old can make himself a few things on the stove. As long as I'm fairly close, not outside or anything, he does really well and I'm close enough to help if he needs it.

[meemee]

thank you guys so much. i did let her and she did very well.

i was in the other room.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by meemee

thank you guys so much. i did let her and she did very well.

i was in the other room.

I"m glad it went well. TBH my first thought when I read the title was, "When they show that they're ready..." because that's how my mom did it. She supervised a few times and let me have at it when she felt I had it under control.

[lilyka]

if she does fine while you are watching her I think it is fine if you step away a bit. You were in the other room. not the house next door, you know. If she needed help you were right there.

[Arduinna]

I think it's fine, given the info in the OP and the fact that you would be home.

[34me]

Great job. So glad she was successful. My ds#2 loves to cook and has been doing it mostly independently since 7 or 8. My reservations were mostly about height

[meemee]

yup height is our issue too. we have a stepping stool for that.

also i make sure she is wearing the right clothes. cotton. not any non natural fabric.

last nigth while making soup some hot soup spattered on her dress on her chest. we were coooking together. i was in another part of the kitchen. screaming and yelling it hurts she put oodles and oodles of cold water on her chest (without me saying or doing anything but watching to see if she put her safety strategies into play) and when she felt relief she went back to cooking

no blisters on her chest today or any mark either

whew! our first accident. she discovered two things. why i dont want her to cook naked or in her undies. how to stir soup without spattering.

mama learnt how painful it is to watch your child in pain. i was almost in tears.

[sapphire_chan]

Time for a cute apron or three? Something easy to wash and maybe with a protective layer if they make those?

[mumm]

Glad it worked well.

My son (10 in september) made a double batch of mac & cheese and steamed summer squash for 6 kids today. I was in the yard but didn't see or hear any of it. The kids said the mac & cheese was better than when I make it! He did it because I asked him to, not because he wanted to. Now if I could only get him to clean it up too!

I think our kids are able to do a lot more than we give them credit for. I often think of the lost boys of sudan or the glue kids and all that they do and figure my kids lead very cushy lives and that a bit of responsiblity (and the possible risk that comes with it) is ok.