My daughter must share the DNA of my husband because she has two key qualities that he has...she likes sushi and she likes to cook. It has been hard to 'want her' to cook because of the involvement I have to have in it, but yesterday I decided to empower her. I bought a pretty straight forward 'box' type meal that involved browning meat, stirring in ingredients and voila, you have a meal. I decided to let her take it all on herself (with my watchful eye over the stove just for safety purposes). She prepared it just as she should and she was so proud of herself. Now the gift I've been thinking of giving her really will be 'just right'. I am giving her a cookbook (to be bought) and an apron. I believe she'll be tickled...but I must be prepared to let her actually use the cookbook...that is where the REAL gift giving will be coming. But for now, it is really cool to see her independence, her interest and the thought that perhaps she will be able to move out on her own one day.

I didn't know how to cook when I moved out. For my two years of grad school I survived on cereal, egg noodles-butter-Parmesan, and peanut m&ms (oh yeah and a good amount of drinks with friends). With the stress of school and this diet, no wonder I was a skeleton when I came home....that is no longer an issue for me!