[blparent] teaching methods

Thu Aug 30 14:10:19 UTC 2012

My grandmother had me stirring cake mix when I was still in diapers and
expected my cousin who was the same age and I to be able to get dinner on
the table by age 12 or so. Her expectations were not so high for our boy
cousin, but even so he was expected to be able to feed himself and to know
how to cook. She did not raise me, but certainly had a strong influence, and
my expectations are strongly influenced by hers.

Lots of hands over hands in the beginning. Kids need to get a feel for
stirring to the bottom of the pot or bowl and bringing the bottom up. It is
easier to learn this when mixing up ingredients in a bowl than when trying
to stir a large pot on the stove. A fun choice for this is one of those
whipped topping desserts with the pudding, fruit, and nuts. My favorite one
is made with pistachio pudding, but there are many out there. Kids enjoy
seeing the colors blend and the chunky fruit is also easy to see when it is
all mixed in. Of course a nice healthy salad offers some of the same
opportunities, but is not as fun.

I regularly find directions for pre-schoolers that say to pre-measure the
ingredients before getting started and of course this can be a big help, but
then what to do with the child while you are busy in the kitchen. Still, it
is important to keep the ingredients to the opposite side of you as the
child. This is especially true with impulsive kids. My son actually cried
when I dumped out a four loaf batch of pumpkin bread because he had poured
in a lot of salt while I was putting things in the sink. I did not know
until I tasted it after we had it all mixed up and it was to late to save
it. It turned out to be a valuable lesson though as we had no more
ingredients to make more and he loves pumpkin bread.

Brandy is right on target with the bread plan too. You can keep a kid busy
kneading while you put away and clean up. This is handy for you, but also
sets the example of putting away the mess. You can also use the dough to
form letters or whatever as part of a lesson. Store bought bread dough can
be used for shaping things too though so do not let it stop you from this
fun activity if you are not a bread baker.

Good sharp knives are also better than dull ones. An accident is far more
likely to happen when someone has to push down hard with a dull knife. My
biggest knife struggle is trying to set the example to cut down on the
cutting board instead of holding the item in my hand. Sometimes it stinks to
be the good example. :) Pre-schoolers can be quite safe with knives if you
teach them to use one. This is not just my random philosophy either,
Montessori schools often include the use of knives in pre--school.

Those are some of the things I do. More may come to mind,  but those are the
first specifics.

Jennifer

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Veronica Smith
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 10:41 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] teaching methods

Well, what I was asking was how other parents do it, not necessarily for me
but for others.  Gab is a good cook, she really doesn't need any guidance
except for her crazy creating, but there are other parents here with
children getting to that age bracket and I thought if some of us shared our
techniques, they too could believe that they are good teachers.  I know
someone on this list who left, because we didn't really guide her, but told
her how to do it.  What she was looking for was examples of how we, the
blind, do something.  
Example:  changing a diaper.  Sounds easy enough for some but hard as a rock
for others.  What we could say,  I lay my daughter on the floor or changing
pad.  I then unstick the velcro on each side, pull the front of the diaper
away from my baby while lifting her legs with my other hand.  I then folded
the diaper upon itself and pulled it away from my baby.  I took a wipie or a
handful, which ever floats your boat,  wipe here and there and between this
and that, then I slide the clean diaper under.  At this point I have decided
whether or not to slather on ointment and I do it here.  Anyway this is the
kind of stuff she was looking for.   Like in the kitchen, a blind parent
would say, well when I make Brownies, I take a medium sized bowl down and
pour in my Brownie mix.  I find out how much water and eggs and oil go in
and then add them one at a time.  Then with a wooden spoon I stir round and
round. When I think it's done, I scoop it up with a large metal spoon into
the pan.
Or I say, when it is done and Gab and I have made a total mess stirring
round and round, we take turns spooning it into the pan.

Because we are goodat what we do, we forget that some parents are just
starting out and don't have a clue how this or that is done.

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 7:26 AM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] teaching methods

V,
What exactly are you asking? Are you asking how to read recopies?
Can you start with something simple with no pressure so that she won't fell
ike she has to get it right if she wants dinner that night?
I've gotten some great tips from the list you run. So thank you for that. I
guess that's why Idon't understand what you're asking.

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Veronica Smith
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 11:09 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] teaching methods

But how do you teach your child to cook?

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Gabe Vega Via Iphone4S
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 3:59 PM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List
Cc: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [blparent] teaching methods

I use the side of the bowl as well. Makes cracking the egg easier, making
halving the egg easier, and I get no shells in my ex.

Gabe Vega
Sent from my iPhone
(623) 565-9357

On Aug 28, 2012, at 4:58 AM, Jodie and Kahlan <xandir at samobile.net> wrote:

> Lol, there are so many corny egg puns, but don't worry; I won't use them!
I crack the egg on the side of the bowl instead of the edge of the counter
and just hold it carefully to make sure the shells don't get in the bowl. It
usually works. I usually don't have tiny pieces of egg shell in my food. But
my mom sometimes does and she can see. But it's usually just one tiny piece
of shell.
>
> --
> Hugs from Jodie and kahlan
> "Only a fool walks into the future backward."
> Terry Goodkind
>
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