by Cassie Nash
Child Life Specialist

I love to cook, and I love my husband and nephews. It was so much fun the other night when these lovely things all combined. My sister and her husband went out of town, so my husband and I went from having no kids to two kids! Dinner time rolled around, and it was time to eat. It took all four of us to get a little meal prepared, and we had a blast. Let's just say we got a lot done. We cooked, did some exercise, and got lots of giggles at what all ended up in the sink! (See pictures :) This little adventure in the kitchen taught me a lot, so I thought I would share. 

1. Let the child in your life be involved in the preparation. The meal might get a bit random, but as long as the meal is somewhat balanced and nutritious, be flexible and welcome creativity within reason. You probably won't see pizza with a side black eyed peas on a restaurant's menu, but this is a great opportunity for your child to learn how to make choices.  At Le Bonheur we love to give our patients and families choices when we can. For example, it's not a choice about whether or not the patient takes their medicine, but they may choose whether they swallow it with grape or apple juice. 

2. BE CAREFUL. You must clearly communicate if a pot is going to be hot, or about a knife that might be sharp. When it came time to stir the black eyed peas, I told my nephew he could pick out the spoon with which I stirred, but I had to do the stirring. The water was boiling, and I didn't want him to get burned. I certainly didn't want him to become one of my patients! I love him and all, but certainly want to keep our time together away from the hospital! 

3. Don't forget to have fun (I cracked up laughing when my husband had put both of the boys in the sink) and incorporate life lessons (just like your muscles need food to help you grow strong, your muscles need exercise like chin ups on the chin up bar to also grow strong!)

The meal turned out great, and we had some sweet family time together at the dinner table. If you happen to find yourself at Le Bonheur (as a patient or visiting a loved one) around dinner time, please feel free to enjoy dinner together as a family. We have family rooms, equipped  with tables, chairs, refrigerators, and microwaves, on every unit and even the family resource center is a great spot to make the hospital feel a bit more like home.