Most kids are fascinated by the kitchen. It is an exciting place with lots of gadgets and appliances, interesting smells and noises, and plenty of people working hard. But have you ever considered that it could be a dangerous place for kids? I will share a story that may reinforce that.
I grew up in a house with four brothers. We had to learn to fend for ourselves quite a bit when my mother went to work to help pay the bills. One of the things we learned by doing was cooking for ourselves.
Peace Sign Cake Pan
Now I will be the first to admit, I am no gourmet. I was very limited in my creations to things such as frozen foods, canned foods, egg sandwiches, popcorn, etc. I also baked an occasional cake and a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
I was about 12 years old when I decided to deep fry some french fries. Now, what kid doesn't love hot french fries? I put the shortening in the frying pan and turned it on high, waiting for the grease to melt. A few days earlier, my father had put a television in the kitchen so we could watch it at the bar we had there. I became enamored of something that was on and sat down. Suddenly I heard a loud "poof" and jerked my head around to see very high flames coming out of the pan. Panicked, I did exactly what they advise you not to do; grab the pan and throw it toward the sink. Luckily for me, it landed in the sink and I turned on the water and watched the steamy mess for a few seconds.
After ensuring that the fire was out, I surveyed the damage; black flame marks on the ceiling, the worst smell in history, and a greasy mess everywhere. My mother came home and actually didn't get as angry as I thought she would for almost burning down her house. She did however tell me next time just put the lid on the pan!
The experience taught me to be much more careful in the kitchen when dealing with stoves and appliances. I recommend you spend some quality time with your children demonstrating how everything works and the importance of being careful while using the kitchen. Peace of mind is much easier to achieve if you have prepared your children for possible dangers.