How do you handle cooking dinner while watching the kid(s)?

Question

My son is 14 months old.

What do you do with your kids while you're cooking dinner? With my son, I can't really come up with the perfect thing to keep him occupied. He is really hungry when he gets home from daycare, so most times I feed him (or give him food to feed himself) while I'm cooking which works really well. But then when dinner is ready he is done eating and wants to go play while daddy and I are eating. Also, this isn't good because I want him to learn to eat dinner with us as a family.

I am a new mom, so please don't say mean things about me not being able to do 2 things at once... I'm just looking for some suggestions. He is kind of at the age where if he is playing, he wants me to play with him...

Thanks for your ideas!

PS - :) I know its funny... what in the world will I do when I have more kids!?!

Answer 1

My daughter is 13 months old. I know exactly what you are talking about.

While I am cooking she is gated in between two baby proofed rooms. She is usually very good about playing by herself. But at times She does want me to play with her, so I usually put in a baby CD (fisher price, dance baby dance) and I sing and dance while cooking and she is entertained since I am still interacting with her.

Sometimes though when she see's me cooking she is so hungry she has to eat and a small snack is not enough. So I will give her dinner and then let her play a little before our dinner is ready. Then, I give her a small snack and some juice which occupies her while my husband and I eat.

Don't feel bad, it is really hard to watch the baby, cook and play at the same time. All by yourself. I actually found my daughter on the third step going upstairs once (got a second gate after that) while cooking dinner.

Answer 2

Where is daddy when you come home from work? Is it possible that he can occupy your son while you cook, or he can cook while you occupy your son? Maybe you can ask the daycare to give him a snack at a certain time, maybe an hour before you go to pick him up. If this isn't feasible, Maybe have some Cheerios in the car that he can nibble on, on the way home. It also works if when you get in the house, spend 10 minutes with him, before you start cooking. Then explain to him that you have to cook dinner and you want him to be a good boy, and you will play with him some more after dinner. Hope this helps...

Answer 3

I have a 16 month old son and a 7 week old daughter...so its really hard to cook dinner while my daughter is in the swing with my son running around because I get nervous that out of curiosity he might send his little sister flying through the air while she's in the swing lol. I have noticed though that if I take some plastic spoons and tupperware, or pots and pans I let him play with those while im in the kitchen and I'll say things like "wow you are doing a great job helping mommy cook dinner" A 16 month old boy's attention span is very short however so I'll do the same as you I'll give him a little snack like a piece of cheese and cheerios (something that won't fill him up). Anyways spoons, pots and pans have worked like a charm for me...hope that helped!

Answer 4

Tough dilemma. All kids seem to be hungry after daycare. You could try having a light snack he can eat in the car on the way home or give him one in his highchair as soon as you get home. After he's done with his snack, give him something to keep him occupied until dinner is ready. Maybe a pot and spoon so he can "cook" along with you.

If his snack still interferes with his eating dinner, try pushing dinner back about 1/2 hour. It's important for kids to sit down with their parents for dinner. It establishes a good routine they will carry into adulthood.

When you have more children, hopefully your little guy will be old enough to give a chore to. Like letting him mix something in a bowl. That worked really well for my grandson, and at 9, he LOVES being in the kitchen and has become a great helper.

Best of Luck

Answer 5

my kitchen and livingroom are open together so it isn't much of a problem for me, I had let him go off and play while I cook and kept an easy watch. As for him being hungry probably only give a small amount of food that isn't really filling like some cherios or some of them gerber graduates. That way he is kept occupied and satisfying a bit of that hunger but will also still be able to sit and eat as a family. I enjoy eating as a family aswell and think that is important at the end of the day. As my son got older though I found he was able to go from needing snacks to tie him over until supper while I cooked to being able to wait. So just give it time he just has a small belly :)

My son is only 2.5 yet so I got a lot of learning left myself :p

Answer 6

My nephew is the same way, just get him some toys to play with in the kitchen so he is right by u and in between cooking play with him(like while your waiting for the water to boil). Also ask his day care/babysitter to give him a later snack so he wont be so hungry when he gets home. If that isn't possible because they have rules give your child a little bit of chopped apples or a little bit of crackers they wont fill him up and he will still want to eat at dinner. Hope this helps, good luck!

Answer 7

Actually, it gets easier when you have more than one child because they amuse each other. I have the luxury of being a sahm so I can get dinner started early enough that my child can wait until it's done although she often starts eating an apple or something if I get delayed. My older daughter just drives me crazy asking for something.

I think you have two choices. Either give your toddler just enough food to take the edge off but still leave him a little hungry so he'll eat something at the table OR go ahead and feed him and let him play while you and your husband eat. As he gets older, you'll be able to incorporate him into the dinner table routine. He might just be a little young for it right now.

Answer 8

What I did that worked well at this age was give my kids an area in the kitchen, usually a drawer that they could explore. I keep old pots and pans and big spoons in. They would pull them out and put them in and clunk like crazy but it kept them very occupied. This is a tiring time because they are getting so busy. You could never be expected to everything perfect all the time. I think one of the best things someone told me once was that part of being a parent is know you are human and you always make mistakes, hence the word human. You teach I'm sorry and forgiveness and thats that. Good luck with your entry into parenthood.

Answer 9

Well, if you're trying to get him on a dinner schedule with you guys, and he's hungry when you get home, try giving him a snack while you're making dinner. Nothing too big so he still has room to eat dinner with you. While you're cooking is threr anything he can stir where he won't get hurt, or give him a little bowl with some water and let him pretend to be cooking. Find little activities he can do while you're getting everything ready. Even things like coloring can entertain a child for hours. My daughter loves pots and pans, let him bang away with spoons and things. He'll love it.

Answer 10

Feed your son first. then plan so that you have play time with him he misses having time with mommy if he's in daycare so he need this time with you and Daddy if he's home in time, then bath and bed, and while Daddy is reading a story to his son you can be preparing dinner. THEN Mommy and Daddy have dinner. when your son is old enough to understand you can start having him eat with you, right now he doesn't care when you eat as long as he gets attention and that's as it should be, when he's a "Big Boy" he'll understand. Right now he's too young to understand the rules and you're only stressing your self out and him too.
If you eat a little later then you have time to devote to your Husband which he will love. and Your husband get's to spend time with the woman he loves and not just the Mommy of his child. hope this makes sense.