We are so pleased to be baking cookies with our local Cooking Matters class this week. Hurray for all the kids graduating from cooking class! Cooking Matters is a great way for kids to learn how to cook and eat healthy meals at home. Their cookies looked awfully good too, and were so yummy it was hard to get a picture before they were all gone. It was easy to get distracted from photography while watching the kids. It turns out that kids who may not always get enough to eat can teach some real lessons on sharing. Cookie distribution was taken very seriously during this class. There were two cookies per kid, and they were gobbled up as soon as they were declared cool enough for little hands to touch. But there were three extra cookies. Three cookies for a dozen kids. This was a serious dilemma and the options presented were fascinating. The cookies could be quartered and divided evenly (good math skills at work!) but crumbling was going to be an issue and this option was not popular. The kid who discovered the extras on the baking tray briefly suggested a finders keepers approach but was pretty easily persuaded by the others that it would not be a fair solution. After a pause, one little girl perked up and declared that there were three volunteer helpers there and that we could each have a cookie. We helpers were all flattered but did not want to take their last three cookies. We declined, but the idea of gifting the cookies had taken hold and the spirits of the group of second graders soared as they debated the best recipients for their efforts. A younger sibling, a hard working mom, and an obviously adored after school caregiver were the lucky winners of those cookies, but those of us working with the kids may have gotten the best gift of all-a reminder of why we do what we do. It’s fun to cook, but it’s even more fun to feed someone. And as always, that is the best lesson of all.
