After watching Josie 'cook' for Dolly last week, I thought about ways of extending that play without succumbing to the lure of a little plastic kitchen complete with plastic foodstuffs. Firstly, we don't have room for that; secondly, and more importantly, I'm trying to reduce the amount of plastic we buy that will eventually end up in the waste stream and the environment, and thirdly, I think that with Josie's imagination, this will work just as well. Maybe better.
My little cardboard stove top can be set up various places for play. The little 'saucepans' (egg poachers we inherited from John's grandparents) and other little bits of kitchenware should give her a good start. And there are some pictures of food. (Not too many sweets, Claui.) We'll see how it goes.
I admit to a moment of asking myself: Is this good training for a future feminist? Will I find myself getting her a little vacuum cleaner, iron and ironing board, broom? Would I be doing this if she were a boy?
Then I decided that, boy or girl, there's nothing wrong with beginning to learn life skills. And learning to take pride in a job well done -- whether it's cooking or sweeping or whatever. (While I actually enjoy doing the occasional bit of ironing, I have a feeling that for most people of Josie's generation, the iron will have gone the way of the buggy whip. So no tiny ironing board.)
As I said, we'll see. A two-year-old is a fickle creature. She may want nothing to do with my little kitchen.
I have another plan. Last time she was here, she told me that some of Dolly's clothes were dirty. I'm seeing a little wash day happening on the front porch, complete with clothesline and clothespins. Much as she likes to play in the water, I think this could be fun. And Dolly needs clean clothes.
8 comments:
Even feminists know the basics of housekeeping. And hopefully about half of them are male too! I taught my sons cooking (spaghetti and hamburgers.) One of them experimented a bit once he became a teen, (and wasn't being supervised) and we had to throw away one of my pots.
It is good training, especially since we no longer consider it gender-specific. Our son played with kitchen pots and utensils and loved to help in cooking as much as possible. Today he cook all the meals in the family and turns out some fabulous dishes. He and his sister shared housekeeping chores appropriate for age, not gender. You have some great ideas that are not only earth-friendly but encourage imagination. That is just what a two-year-old needs. Way to go, MeeMaw.
Two great ideas. I don't worry about the gender stuff. If she takes to this play, fine. If not, also fine.
Such a nice panoply of utensils for a little fairy!
A new skill is always a plus in life whatever it may be.
How many grandparents would go to such lengths to teach and entertain their grandchildren? Josie is a lucky girl.
I love this - your fine imagination applied to tiny kitchenware. And, for the record, we have a strapping grown up son who at age three loved nothing more than wielding the tiny broom and dustpan in the kindergarten room's playhouse!
We had playhouses drawn in the dirt and our "kitchens" were furnished with the smaller pots that Mama didn't need for a family of ten. Our "mud-pie" creations were things of beauty (as I remember) decorated with flowers, berries, and pebbles. The joy of true imagination!
I have always thought boys and girls should learn to cook, iron clothes and do their own laundry. That is just survival training. None of my brothers could do anything in the house and when they were left alone, they were helpless. One brother at the age of 80 had to learn how to cook when his wife became ill with Dementia. Now he takes pride in what he can do. So, teaching a feminist to cook is good for her and will be a talent she will always use.
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