Both kids cooked dinner for the family last week. On separate nights, mind you – I’ve seen what happens when they try to work together in the kitchen and it ain’t pretty. Let’s just say everyone’s a lot safer when there’s only one under-sixteen human in the galley at a time.

So this was the deal. They’d choose the menu, I’d make sure they had all necessary ingredients, and they’d cook the meal. Done and done.

Despite the straightforward process I figured I’d hang out nearby. You know…just in case. Which is how I ended up with a few life lessons from the kitchen.

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Everybody cracks an egg all over the place now and then. Yes, it’s a mess. Yolk runs everywhere, whites drip onto the floor, and your best efforts to stem the tide fall flat. It’s not the broken egg that matters – it’s what you do next that makes or breaks your evening.

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Biscuits won’t bake in a cold oven. Neither will garlic bread. Thinking ahead isn’t optional, it’s usually a pretty important part of not falling down on the job.

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Directions. They’re your friend. Embrace the guidance.

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Keep it in perspective. Did everyone sit down? Did they have food on their plate? Did they eat and then leave the table with a full belly? Then you did great.

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Leaving a sea of dirty pots, pans, mixing bowls, and cooking utensils in your wake is rude. Yes, your sibling’s cleaning up but pitch in as you go. A little kindness goes a long way toward keeping the peace.

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Sometimes things crumble. Sometimes they get a little crispy. Sometimes you forget part of the meal altogether. That doesn’t mean dinner is ruined. Grant yourself a little grace.

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You don’t know what you don’t know until you’re in the middle of not knowing it. Try not to panic. Next time you’ll know a little more than you do today.

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Eggs cook fast. Put your head down and get the hard stuff done first so you can breeze through at the end.

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Pot holders exist for a reason. Hot things burn. Really hot things burn really bad. Protect yourself.

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Nobody ever died because there wasn’t dessert. Do what you can do and the rest will be fine.