| A few weeks ago we were returning from a | | | | dishwasher or draining), the table laid, a candle lit, a |
| break in Devon - along with the rest of the | | | | delicious meal of spaghetti and meatballs ... and a |
| country! A drive that normally takes just over 3 | | | | gleaming little girl, bursting with pride at her |
| hours took nearly 8 hours, and we crawled | | | | efforts! |
| through traffic the whole way. I did all the driving. | | | | So, how did Tilly learn to pull this off? |
| It was grey and drizzly for most of the journey. | | | | Well, as soon as she could sit in her highchair she |
| The story we were listening to on CD finished | | | | would stir, prod, taste and explore (and I would |
| after the first 3 hours, so we listened to a | | | | clean it up). |
| mixture of the radio and my teenage son's ipod | | | | As soon as she could stand she would prop |
| instead. I soon had a headache! | | | | herself up near the sink and splash and spray and |
| My husband, impatient on car journeys at the | | | | scrub and bubble (and I would clean it up). |
| best of times, was nearly screaming by the end. | | | | When she was old enough to count and measure, |
| The kids were tired, grumpy and fed up. We | | | | she would fill cups with flour and sugar and tip it |
| arrived home in the dark, and had to unload the | | | | into the mixing bowl, and over the floor, and into |
| car in the pouring rain. When we had brought the | | | | her hair, and up her nose (and I would clean it up). |
| last of the bags inside, all I wanted to do was | | | | When she had friends round, they would giggle |
| make a cup of tea, run a hot bubbly bath, take | | | | and plan and invent and concoct and mix and |
| some pain killers, enjoy some peace and quiet, | | | | mingle together a clash of ingredients, opening |
| and then watch a gentle romcom on television | | | | (and forgetting to close) every box and jar in the |
| before hitting my bed - but instead it was time to | | | | kitchen, spilling much on the counter and the floor, |
| make supper for us all. I felt like crying. | | | | and generally having a wonderful time (and I |
| And then my 11 year old daughter came to the | | | | would clean it up). |
| rescue. | | | | When she wanted to make her own recipe, I |
| "Mummy, you look really tired!" she said. "Why | | | | would bite my tongue and let her throw together |
| don't you go and have a bath, and I'll make | | | | too much flour and too little butter and one egg |
| supper." | | | | too many (and I would clean it up, and mop up |
| Now, if I'm being honest, my first thought was | | | | her tears of frustration too). |
| that there was no way she could cope with | | | | When she made her very first cookies, and her |
| making supper entirely by herself. I had no idea | | | | very first cake, and her very first smoothie, I |
| what I was going to cook - we hadn't stopped to | | | | told everyone about it, and I made sure she |
| buy anything fresh so I was going to have to dig | | | | heard. And I helped her eat them, too, even the |
| around in the freezer and larder for inspiration. | | | | ones that didn't taste very nice! |
| How could she possibly manage? Tilly is brilliant at | | | | When she needed to learn a new technique, I |
| making cakes and cookies and other sweet | | | | showed her how I do things - but then I stood |
| treats, and often helps us out with lunches and | | | | back and let her choose whether to copy me or |
| suppers, but she had never cooked a main meal | | | | find her own way. Sometimes she copied me, |
| entirely by herself, with no help. | | | | sometimes she didn't. Sometimes it frustrated |
| I hesitated. Perhaps if I pointed her in the right | | | | me, but I kept quiet because I didn't want to |
| direction, she would manage? But then I looked at | | | | frustrate her. |
| her face, and I realised that this was a pivotal | | | | So, over the years, I invested a lot of time and |
| moment in our relationship. She wanted me to | | | | effort into my daughter's cooking education! How |
| trust her and to hand over responsibility entirely, | | | | many hours did I spend cleaning up the kitchen |
| and she also knew, already, that it was unlikely | | | | after her? How many times did I groan at the |
| that I would do so. I took the plunge. | | | | thought of another childish cooking session? |
| "Done!" I gave her a hug, and headed upstairs for | | | | But was is worth it? |
| a soak. | | | | Yes, every moment. |
| 45 minutes later I came back downstairs to find a | | | | I got payback. |
| spotless kitchen (all the pans either in the | | | | |