Baking

Playing with my children does not always come easy to me.
I enjoy building with them – with blocks or lego, I lay on the floor to draw and colour, do puzzles and games and I love reading them books…
But when it comes to anything roleplay related I start to struggle. I feel self concious and awkward. This can be games like playing house or doctors, playing shops or having tea parties…
I can’t really explain why this is – It’s just the way I feel …
Of course I play these things with them anyway – when I’m alone with them at home – It’s what they love doing and it is a really important type of play –
it builds their confidence, fuells imagination, helps them to make sense of the world around them and to find out who they are… so there I sit on the floor pretending to eat a plastic fairy cake and drinking delicious fake tea feeling rather silly …

I’m also not terribly keen on messy play – at least not in the house …
Now, I dont mind toys, books and other playthings lying about the house – thats easily tidied up at the end of the day.
And I absolutely encourage messy play outside – if they dig in the mud or mess around with chalks and water – that does not bother me at all.
But I really do struggle with all things messy inside the house …
I hate playdough and wet paints and the thought of glue and glitter sends me to a place not that far away from a panik attack … (I am exaggerating here for added effect … or am I ? 😉 )

But there is one activity – a particularly messy one – that I love doing with my children more than any other …
And that is baking …

Sticky fingers, flour on the floor, worktops covered in icing, clothing “decorated” with chocolate, egg shells in the batter … does not bother me in the slightest …
It’s strange really – but I really do love the mess of it all for some reason …

My mum was a cook and I practically grew up in a Restaurant. My Grandmother used to bake with me and so did my otherwise not very motherly mother …
I have also always had a terrible sweet tooth …
Theres something so homely and warm about baking – the process, the smells, and the result just scream family and comfort and love to me like almost nothing else …
I never lose my calm or get impatient when baking something with my daughter and I love letting her take the lead even if it takes over an hour to make a simple crumble – I love every minute of it …

I can not wait until Sameth is old enough to join in too … because baking is not just a girls thing …

I guess every parent has things they love doing with their children … and that can be anything really … from going out rockpooling to dressing up and doing your nails …
I love it, for example, when Craig teaches the kids anything sport related…
All sorts of things like mini golf, hockey or just throwing and kicking a ball around – his shoulders drop and relax, his voice becomes soft and his eyes light up … he’s right in his element … that’s what he’s good at and what he loves …
And something rings quite true here actually because that is the thing he particularly enjoyed doing with his father when he was young …

So I guess what I am trying to say is that I don’t think you have to enjoy playing all sorts of things with your children …
As long as you make an effort and you find something your passionate about so that you can share that love and passion with your children then that’s ok … everyone has a thing … my thing is baking …
I’d like to think they will remember this when they grow up and say “Sure I know how to make pastry – I used to bake with my mum all the time …”

Until next time …

Ta da