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Microwaves for Children

The microwave cooking experience is an entirely different one from cooking range cooking. It is a box of cooking wonders, which can accomplish various types of cooking inside its door. Customarily, cooking meant dealing with fire, handling very hot pans, and there was always an element of risk involved. Hence, parents would wait till children were old and mature enough before they were allowed to go close to the cooking range. The microwave has changed all that and out of all the appliances in the kitchen, it qualifies as one of the safest where children are concerned. This is due to a variety of reasons, some of which are listed below.

Reasons why microwaves are safe for children

• All cooking takes place behind closed doors in a microwave
• There are no open flames involved
• The bowl or plate does not get heated, only the food does
• Opening the door poses no risks because the microwaves stop the minute the door opens
• It is a quick use appliance and does not require long waiting periods for children, which can make them restless and careless

Preparing children for microwave cooking
The need for children to use a microwave arises if there are no adults at home when they get back from school. However, instead of letting children risk using any appliance without adequate knowledge about it, it is better to educate them about it and have them start in adult presence, so that it is possible to gauge whether they are ready to use it on their own or not. The steps that need to be followed:

• Educate the child about how the microwave works, in a simple manner
• Show him how to use it for the first time
• Explain in detail the function of every button
• Allow him to use it himself but in your presence
• If there is any doubt make him write the steps on a piece of paper and stick it on the microwave
• Keep oven gloves of the child’s size ready and get him habituated to using them
• Show them the microwave safe bowls and plates, and which ones cannot be placed in it, for example, metal ones
• Explain why shelled foods like eggs and prawns cannot be placed in the microwave
• Make surprise checks by asking children to use the microwave and quietly checking if they do it right

The prospect of handling a gadget like a microwave, makes children feel very independent and grown up. This also gives them the desire to do it right so that this privilege is not taken away from them. They enjoy eating what they cook, and often brings a renewed interest in food, especially among children who are fussy eaters. Moreover, microwave cooking is not messy and does not require much of a cleanup except for the bowl used, so children are happy with the amount of effort involved. The microwave just becomes an instrument of empowerment for children, making them independent, responsible and learning to fend for themselves, instead of having someone serve them all the time.