Trick or Treat?

Before I had kids, I would watch TV commercials showing a delighted mother happily baking with her kids. They would smudge each others noses with the batter, sneak a taste of the batter and generally look quintessentially cute and happy. I thought the ads were sweet. They made me smile.

When I was hoping for pregnancy, they made my heart ache with a mixture of hope and longing. I pictured myself making rice crispy treats and Christmas cookies with my future children and it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Now I have two kids, both girls. The Six year old's interest in baking is centered solely around licking the bowl. The Baby just wants to be included and do everything her big sister does.

Here's the truth of it - I do not like baking with my children.
When I confessed this to The Husband - he was shocked. He'll be really delighted I've decided to share the ugly truth with you.

How can I not like it?
It's a chaotic, patience challenging, mess-fest that I am usually out of energy for.
My first mistake I realize, is that we often bake after school. It's getting late, the kids are tired and I still have dinner to make. However, unless I limit baking to the weekends - that's the time we have spare, 6.30 am baking has no appeal whatsoever.

I would say that I am not a neat freak and I think that washing hands before you start baking is adequate to prevent germ spreading. So it surprises me most of all that flour sprayed out of the bowl by over zealous mixing and kids dipping their fingers in the mix makes me crazy.

Batter dripped all over the counter top and down the appliances is just not a sweet child bonding activity for me. Cake mix everywhere but in the muffin pan tends to yield very little edible product.

So it is with an honest but troubled heart that I admit that all the baking I did for the school Halloween party and for a party we are going to tonight - I did alone. I waited until the kids were in bed and I baked neatly and efficiently.

The Six year was unconcerned as long as she got a preview taste and the baby didn't comment - her mouth was full of muffin, so I'm taking that as agreement.

Happy and Safe Halloween to you and yours!