1. Rethink your space
Four years ago, my kitchen got a mini-makeover. Before that time, we'd always carefully kept our breakable dishes out of reach of little hands. But once our three kids were a bit older (ages 4, 6, and 8), it was time for a shift in thinking — and of the cabinet contents. We moved all of our plates and bowls (yes, the breakable kind!) to the bottom cabinets and our pots and pans to the upper ones. Presto! Thanks to this switcheroo, my kids were able to unload the dishwasher and put items away.What started as a bid for me to get more help gave my kids greater freedom. Sure, they stowed dishes — but they also retrieved them to set the table or make a snack. They enjoyed getting more involved, and I felt less like an underappreciated short-order cook.
Another unexpected benefit: our newly kid-friendly kitchen let my crew practice hospitality. After playing out in the yard, their entourage of pals often made a trek through our kitchen. Since we stored some cups alongside our plates and bowls, I was delighted to hear my kids turning on the tap and asking their friends, "Do you want ice with that?"
