Our daughter is 13. We raise her like a princess: we don’t make her do the dishes, wash and clean, we give her a lot of freedom.
Pink hair, nose piercing, the most fashionable clothes — no problem.
And then she came back home from her new friend’s place all excited and said, “Anya’s parents are so cool!
They even let her cook soup!”
It turns out that our princess was entrusted to peel potatoes, and she choked with delight, feeling all grown up. Really?
We tried so hard to protect her from all these chores, which she will have enough in adulthood, and she wants to peel potatoes!
Well, it’s time to teach her how to cook.
For thirteen years, we treated our daughter, Emily, like royalty. She was our little princess, untouched by the drudgery of daily chores. We believed she should enjoy her childhood—free from the mundane tasks of cleaning, cooking, or doing dishes. Her world was one of vibrant hair colors, fashionable outfits, and the freedom to express herself. A nose piercing? Sure. Pink hair? Why not. We had one rule: she would have all the freedom, and we’d protect her from the tedious responsibilities of adulthood for as long as we could.
But then came The Incident.
Emily burst through the front door one afternoon, her face glowing with excitement. “Mom! Dad! Anya’s parents are so cool!” she exclaimed.
We exchanged puzzled looks. Anya’s family was lovely, but as far as we knew, they weren’t particularly extraordinary. “Why’s that, sweetheart?” I asked.
“They let her cook soup!” Emily gushed. “And they let me peel potatoes! It was amazing!”
Her eyes sparkled as if she’d just won a prestigious award. “They even trusted me with the knife,” she added proudly, holding an imaginary potato in one hand and mimicking a slicing motion with the other.
I nearly dropped the glass I was holding. “You… liked peeling potatoes?”
“Are you kidding? It was the best! I felt so grown up,” she said, practically bouncing with joy.
My husband chuckled nervously. “Peeling potatoes? You? That’s what impressed you?”
Emily nodded vigorously. “Anya’s mom said I’m a natural. I think I might even want to learn how to cook.”
For a moment, we stood in stunned silence. Here we were, thinking we’d given her the perfect, stress-free childhood, shielding her from chores so she could focus on being creative and carefree. And yet, her newfound thrill came from peeling potatoes?
That evening, my husband and I sat down to reassess our parenting philosophy. “Maybe we’ve overdone it,” he admitted. “Maybe she wants to feel capable, like she’s contributing.”
So, we decided to embrace this new chapter. The next day, we presented Emily with a shiny new apron embroidered with her name and a cookbook full of simple recipes. “If you’re ready to learn, we’re ready to teach,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “You mean I can cook here too?”
“Absolutely,” my husband said, handing her a potato peeler. “Why don’t you start with dinner tonight?”
And so began Emily’s culinary journey. At first, it was just peeling potatoes and stirring soup, but soon she was mastering pasta, baking cookies, and even experimenting with her own recipes. Her confidence grew with every dish she prepared.
As she cooked, we realized how much we’d underestimated her. Giving her the chance to tackle real-world tasks didn’t just make her happy—it made her proud. And in the process, we learned something too: even a princess needs to feel like a queen of her own domain.
Now, Emily is our little chef. The kitchen has become her kingdom, and every meal she creates is a masterpiece. Who would’ve thought that the key to her happiness wasn’t in shielding her from life’s little challenges, but in letting her face them head-on—starting with a potato peeler?
