BAKING-A CHILD'S FANTASY

While attending a training session for volunteering in an organization, we were given an insight of the life of a true leader. A true leader is one who does things in a manner such that his followers do likewise rather than imposing it on them.

It has thus been proven in a study of the human mind that only seven percent of our mind comprehends verbal instructions given to us while fifty-three percent of our mind grasp visual instructions. This means that we follow what we see more than what we hear. This is one of the techniques used while educating children because children tend to look up to their elders by keeping tabs on what they do and how they do it.

Baking is a very good way with which we can teach our children how to read, write and enhance their mathematical skills. Baking is an art which only an artistic mind can comprehend. Children are born artists and curious by nature. If they find something extraordinary, they are bound to try and understand it. That way, we actually increase their vocabulary. When they read a recipe, they come across words which are foreign to them. That is when they approach us for some kind of explanation. Upon getting that and witnessing it happen during the preparation of the dish, the meaning is reinforced, hence, the leadership intro.

For writing, there is a phrase known as writing by mouth where a child can be asked to explain a certain step in detail or to give a summary of the dish. They could be asked to construct a fantasy regarding that dish. A flying dish with magical powers! This could definitely improve upon their creative writing.

One might wonder that how does mathematics hop in. Well, that is where all the measurements are done. Your child could be asked to double, quadruple or halve the ingredients. They could also conduct a research survey as to whoever liked or disliked the dish and make pie charts, bar graphs, etc. All this is definitely going to help your kid develop mentally.

While asking, ‘Ma’am, do you like this dish?’ or ‘Sir, do you like this dish?’, their self-esteem will be boosted and they will actually feel good about themselves when they are appreciated . Oh my gosh, that dish is simply mouth-watering! The dish looks so vibrant! What wonderful presentation!! Amazing! Delicious!! These are the kind of words which the children are keen on hearing so that even when their efforts lead to a disastrous result, they still feel motivated to try harder.

But here is the million dollar question. Does your child like baking?

Ever since I was four, I started showing a lot of interest in these things. Kitchen was like a fantasy world for me and all I used to do was wait for my mom to allow me into it. As she was very strict, I would’ve dared not cross her but our old maid used to let me help her out. Those moments were one of the precious few in my life that I will always cherish forever. Baking is my passion. It’s something I look forward to when I get home after a stressful day.  The wait for the outcome is way too long, it just peaks up my curiosity. After all, there is a child in every one of us. And the best part is when I decorate it. I’m still a novice at that but I’m trying to improve. And I believe that it’s because of the time I’ve spent in the kitchen as a toddler.  I believe that childhood is the time when you can actually develop your skills the most. The rest of the time is only spent polishing them. That is when you learn and grow. So don’t waste it.        

How I got into baking

I am known to be a sensitive kind of person especially since the hormones kicked in. If I don't get my mind off a particular thing, I keep on thinking about it until I exhaust all of my brain juices. To prevent that from happening, I need to do something to get my mind off it. In the past, I tried multiples of things, experimenting as to what would make me feel better. During that journey, I tried gardening, sketching, craft work, sewing,cooking, baking, reading and writing. Ever since I was a child, I was known to be hyperactive and not very patient with whatever I did. If something I was doing took a lot of time, I would convince myself that I will do it some other time, needless to say that that time would very rarely come if I didn't want it to. That is exactly what I looked at while choosing my past time. Do I feel relaxed while doing it? Do I get impatient if it isn't done quickly? Is the wait for the outcome filled with good anxiety or the bad, irritating one? The favorable answer to all these questions was when I came across the joys of baking. Baking, in its true essence, is the one thing I never get annoyed or irritated by. The wonderful smell of freshly baked bread, scones, cakes, biscuits, etc is the thing I really look forward to whenever I start baking. 
Baking is not the only thing which I enjoy doing but it most certainly is the biggest component of my happiness. I love experimenting and trying on new stuff as much as I'm afraid of doing so. I enjoy it but it scares the hell out of me every time I try because I can never be sure of the outcome. There are moments when I really challenge myself and I keep on expanding my limits which is a very enlightening experience for me. It actually makes me forget all my worries. It is similar to a chemistry experiment for me, to be honest, and chemistry is my favorite subject so that's saying something. The way raw eggs, sugar and flour make something and just adding a bit of baking soda in vinegar and adding that to the mixture gives it a completely different affect. The way I feel when I am baking cannot be expressed in words. Its a divine feeling.
When I was a child, I used to love seeing my mom work in the kitchen and I always wanted to do it myself. Naturally, she never let me do it because she didn't want her kitchen to become a disaster. According to her, we always grow out of the interests we have when we are a child but that was not the case with me. I guess I've always been a rebel when it comes to keeping to the norms. I always thought I was abnormal. Just kidding. Anyways, the first time I baked, it was a batch of brownies. I cannot explain the feeling I got when my mom praised me. She never praises me without cause. So it made me exceptionally happy. It makes me smile whenever I recall that moment. I believe it would be correct to say that it was the happiest moment of my life.