National polls have found Thanksgiving to be our nation’s second favorite holiday after Christmas. Why do people like Thanksgiving so much? Food and family, most say. All too often, however, the prep for Thanksgiving is not a family activity. It’s just stressed-out parents shopping, cooking, traveling, and much more. This year, involve the kids! If they help make the holiday happen, they’ll be even more thankful for the season’s blessings.
The first thing you should do with your family is come up with a plan. Let your kids know you want their input on how to make this Thanksgiving the best one yet. Make family decisions on things like the menu, decorations, and music. Assign everyone tasks.
Thanksgiving is a food centered holiday, so it makes sense to have your kids help out in the kitchen. It’s also a great excuse to spend some time together. Find age-appropriate tasks for your kids to do. Cutting vegetables, making whipped cream, even just reading the next step in the recipe: these are all ways to involve your kids. If you have an older child who likes to cook, let them create a dish or dessert on their own. When the guests arrive, your kids can state with pride that they helped create the holiday meal.
There are a lot of other tasks your kids can do to get your home ready for Thanksgiving. They can help you clean, cut out hand turkeys to hang around the house, and decorate dinner menus. Even if it’s just busy work, it will keep the kids out of your hair and make them feel engaged.
Their engagement doesn’t have to stop with the feast. Remind them that they need to be gracious hosts. Have them help bring out food, clear the table, and make sure elder family members are comfortable. And, as the meal draws to a close, the cleanup brigade should be prepared to spring into action.
Many families like to go around the table and say what they are thankful for. This is a great time to thank your kids for all the help they gave you in planning and executing Thanksgiving. Hopefully your kids will thank you, too!
