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Why this mom decided to give her a 3-year-old kid a knife in the kitchen
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Research suggests giving young children supervised experience in the kitchen makes them more likely to excel with cooking later on. According to NPR, it's a slow process, but one mom's time spent teaching her son makes it worth it. - photo by Payton Davis
Baking sweets with her 3-year-old son, Sujata Gupta hoped to help him "learn through exploration," according to NPR.

She wrote for NPR that she soon realized, however, that letting him play a more active role in food preparation required equipping him with an item most U.S. parents wouldn't give their young children: a knife. Gupta's mother and mother-in-law "recoiled" at the thought, and online cooking classes listed 7 as the earliest age for kids to use knives in the kitchen.

Research conducted by David Lancy, an anthropologist at Utah State University and author of "The Anthropology of Childhood," indicated it might be smart "to hand a tot a knife," Gupta reported.

"From a health and nutrition standpoint, studies have shown that getting kids cooking makes them more open to eating healthful foods, such as fruits and vegetables," according to Gupta. "With picky eating peaking between the ages of 2 and 6 and my son is no exception I've been hoping that letting him interact with his food in a meaningful way may reduce struggles at the dinner table."

NPR's report read Gupta's daunting decision worked: Her son assisted in chopping food for a dish he normally didn't help with, and no mishaps took place.

And according to The New York Times, pickiness isn't the only issue combatted when kids get culinary.

Whether they're 3 or 13, children become conscious about health and develop bonds with family through the activity. Often, lessons learned cooking instill confidence and prove beneficial in other aspects, NYT's report stated.

"Sliding a spoonful of raw chicken or a piece of breaded fish into hot oil? Daunting," NYT reported. "Making dinner for six people at age 9? Intimidating. A child who can do those can look at any restaurant dish and say, 'I could make that.' Thats an attitude that can carry a child beyond the kitchen."

For Seattle mom Ashley Rodriguez, communication among her and her children in preparation of meal time makes it worth it, according to Q13 FOX.

The Rodriguez family members pick their own fruits and vegetables, discuss moderation, and go over safety in the kitchen, and Q13 FOX's piece indicated letting go safely so the kids could learn on their own was a must for Rodriguez.

Gupta reported for NPR that letting go takes place earlier in other regions, often making kids resourceful at a young age. Lancy told her of a child in the Amazon rain forest who played with a 9-inch knife and dropped it.

According to NPR, the mother's reaction showed a stark contrast from typical U.S. parenting.

"When he dropped the knife, his mother talking to someone else reached backward nonchalantly without interrupting her conversation, picked up the knife and handed it back to the toddler," Gupta wrote.

If parents do decide to let kids assist with cooking early, they have a few strategies to reduce stress and keep things safe, according to Yahoo News.

Initially, parents should instruct children on where all important items are kept in the kitchen. Yahoo News' piece indicated adjusting the height of all work surfaces, teaching about cleanliness and letting older kids help younger ones all make the process less rough.

Starting with a salad doesn't hurt either.

"Start with basic dishes a fruit dip or salad that dont require recipes," according to Yahoo News. "This inspires creativity and confidence. Ask kids what flavors they like and help them combine those in a single dish. Under supervision, let kids do all the measuring, chopping and mixing."
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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