Cooking Dinner/Amusing Little One

**Jules16** · 14-07-2009 21:09

What do you do to amuse your little one while trying to get dinner cooked and on the table? I feel so guilty when DS is hanging off me. I juggle cutting things up and playing with him but one day there's going to be an accident if he keeps hanging off me while I'm trying to cook. A lot of the time I do it when he's asleep in advance but it's not always possible.

**Myztik** · 14-07-2009 21:12

At that age I used to sit them in the high chair on the other side of the bench and give them a few plastic cooking implements and let them 'help'

**Jules16** · 14-07-2009 21:13

Originally Posted by Myztik

At that age I used to sit them in the high chair on the other side of the bench and give them a few plastic cooking implements and let them 'help'

Hmm. I could try it but I have a feeling it would just all be thrown on the floor fairly quickly.

**lochiebearsmum** · 14-07-2009 21:14

I have a box... not sure what it actually is called but its made for your child to stand in while you are at the bench... i then bought the plastic fruit to chop ($3 from kmart) so he can chop when i do... sometimes i also fill the sink with bubbles and let him wash the dishes... mostly hes happy just helping and chatting... the box is a life saver!!! DS is 2 now but has been using the box for a year we got it at last years baby expo

**crazymuma** · 14-07-2009 21:17

Originally Posted by Myztik

At that age I used to sit them in the high chair on the other side of the bench and give them a few plastic cooking implements and let them 'help'

I do the same with my 18 month old - and yes it gets thrown around but I just keep giving them back

Either that or some crayons and paper work well.

**bubbasmum** · 14-07-2009 21:19

I used to sit ds in the high chair just outside the kitchen and sing. He used to love it or put the wiggles dvd on. Not very attentive though..

**jaq** · 14-07-2009 21:20

In our house, 5-6 is TV time. Particularly that whole thing of having them under your feet while you are at the stove ... Dora or Baby Einstein vids were the only thing that was sufficient mesmerising through hell hour.

Daddy comes home at 5.45 too, so that helps ...

Good luck - its an eternal dilemma when they are hungry and tired!

**Mummaholic** · 14-07-2009 21:25

Originally Posted by Myztik

At that age I used to sit them in the high chair on the other side of the bench and give them a few plastic cooking implements and let them 'help'

me too

**HugsBunny** · 14-07-2009 21:28

Originally Posted by Myztik

At that age I used to sit them in the high chair on the other side of the bench and give them a few plastic cooking implements and let them 'help'

Yep this is what I used to do aswell. Or give bub some food to munch on or sing songs and basically just dance and be silly.

**kerrysinead** · 14-07-2009 22:11

Hiya, I went through that stage with my DD a few months back she would have been the same age as your little one then.

I do the same as a lot of the other girls have said, pop her in her high chair, give her stuff to play with while she sits in it. She has her own plastics cupboard so she pulls all that out and bangs around a few pots and pans. I live in the UK and the weathers nice at the moment, my back garden is safe so she plays out a lot while Im cooking. I have the back kitchen door open so can see her well, thats made a big difference actually. Sometims if she's whiney I will pick her up for a bit and show her what Im doing, but she's definitly better than she was a few months ago, it was, as they say, yet another phase!