There are moments when I feel like I’m doing it wrong; this whole parenting thing. Like when my kids are climbing the shelves at Target while making unusually loud and appalling animal noises. Or laughing at me while I’m blue in the face trying to get them to pick up their toys. Or filling their water glasses with bits of salad and pasta while simultaneously stuffing entire slices of Italian bread into their mouths, as we dine with old friends.
And then there are moments when everything seems just fine. Perhaps even better than fine. Like when my boys embrace each other in a loving hug after being separated during the school day. Or when they share favorite toys without prompting. Or when they reach out to take each other’s hands to safely cross the street.
It’s in those little moments that I realize I am not ruining my kids…at least not completely.
I like the way my dad puts it best:
I believe in a heaven and I want to go there when I die. I want my family to be there with me. Have I taught them how to get there?
When all is said and done, if I can answer yes to that question, then all of the other stuff; the messes, the whining, the salad-filled water glass; is pretty small in the grand scheme of things.
Parenting is hard. There’s hardly ever a day when I feel like I did it all right. But my grandma says I’m doing a good job…and that’s got to count for something, right??
There will always be days when the kids are dancing to the beat of their own drummer, leading me to question who’s really in charge around here. (I’m fairly certain there’s an elaborate governing system being negotiated between the three boys and the dog. I’m powerless.) But if you can’t beat them, get them to join you...in the kitchen, that is!
Spoken from experience, it’s a heck of a lot easier to engage the kids in cooking with you, than fight with them to behave while you try to do it yourself. Almost every recipe has plenty of steps to engage even the littlest chef, and this simple Mexican-style pizza is no exception! Young chefs will enjoy measuring the ingredients, spreading the beans, mixing the chicken and taco sauce, and sprinkling the ingredients. The whole family will enjoy the delicious, cheesy result!
Mexican Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pizza crust
- 3/4 cup refried beans
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
- 1/3 cup taco sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes with chiles, well-drained
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the pizza crust on a large baking sheet. Spread the refried beans over the pizza crust. Stir together the chicken and taco sauce. Scatter the sauced chicken over the beans. Scatter the diced tomatoes over the pizza. Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer on top. If desired, scatter a few slices of jalapeño peppers on top. (We left half of the pizza without jalapeños for the little guys!)
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until hot and melty.
Check out www.thekidscookmonday.org for more delicious, child-friendly cooking ideas!
The Gourmand Mom 
This is a great idea. My kids want pizza all the time and I usually make it from scratch. They get to help, but the result is almost always the same. Cheese pizza for one, veggie pizza for the other. This way, they’ll get veggies and us parents won’t have to eat the same ol’ pizza every week! Also, yes, your kids are conspiring against you. I hear mine whispering behind my back all the time… 😉
Pizza making is a great way to get your kids into the kitchen-they can layer all the goodies the way they want on top (within reason of course)! The end result is not just appealing to kids, but adults as well. The pizza looks fantastic. I am sure your kids are game for round two any time!