Young Kid Cooking / No Go?

Ken · Sep 18, 2008

is it okay to have a 6-year-old baking a cake in a picture book (or chpt book?). The book isn't realistically set so the action doesn't have to be completely believable. I was just wondering if parents might have a qualm with the story as it sets a bad example by having a kid doing something potentially dangerous that kids might emulate. (Seems like I've answered my own question; sigh.)

jennontheisland · Sep 18, 2008

My kid cooks with me...mixes, adds, measures. But he does not touch the oven. I think if he's just stirring a bowl it should be fine. JMO.

Ken · Sep 18, 2008

sigh. The girl is doing all the baking by herself. I'd have her mother to help her, but that would intrude on her isolation which is a key factor in the work. // Thanks for weighing in

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc · Sep 18, 2008

I think it's fine.

Just make sure you show a little consequence, like, maybe she slightly burns her finger, gets a boo-boo and needs a bandaid. And remembers that she should always be safe with hot objects. That way the kids learn from it and want their parents to aid them whenever they bake.

Shady Lane · Sep 18, 2008

I think as long as you don't SHOW her putting the cake in the oven, it won't be an issue. Think about stuff that takes places in alternate worlds where adults don't really exist--Charlie Brown, Charlie and Lola. I'm sure those kids do their own baking...lol

CR.Casanova · Sep 18, 2008

Yeah, I second Shady Lane. As long as you don't depict the child doing something dangerous, just try to make it look pretty, and I don't think there'd be any problems.

JoNightshade · Sep 18, 2008

I'll chime in with others who don't think it's a problem. There's a veeery popular series of board books for babies starring Carl, a rottweiler who babysits a one-year-old. They do all sorts of things together that would be considered horrific if a baby tried it in real life!

Granted, some parents do complain in the reviews on Amazon - mainly about the dog being the babysitter and how irresponsible that is - but I think most reasonable people don't freak out about it. I mean, before Carl there was Nana from Peter Pan!

Ken · Sep 18, 2008

thanks everyone. Will follow your advise and leave out the oven, focusing on the mixing of the batter, if anything. // No adults in the Peanuts like you say, Shady, except for the teacher whose dialogue sounded like, "Wawawahwahwahwah." Always got a kick out of that :-D // ps Interesting idea, Glaze, about warding off imitation by putting in a bad consequence. Will keep that in mind...along with those Carl board books. Cool concept.

Cassiopeia · Sep 18, 2008

I'm sitting here wondering why you are so worried about it? anis, think about it. How many fantasy stories stop to question if it's PC to do something that isn't really possible.

I bet you there ARE six year olds out there who do cook and bake. Even alone. (sad as that is)

Is it litigation or the possibility of it that worries you? Certainly parents will be responsible for their kids' boundaries.

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc · Sep 18, 2008

Maybe upon a parent reading the book to the child, an important life-lesson-shpeil will come up, "And using an oven alone is a no-no, Billy..."

Ken · Sep 18, 2008

when writing for children, authors have to use discretion about what to include in their works, as pointed out. Thanks to feedback, here, I'll exclude the part about the oven, so kids won't get it into their heads that using an oven, w/o adult supervision, might be a fun thing to try.

stormie · Sep 18, 2008

There's a family in town among all the large families here, who's kids were in the newspaper, and it told how self-reliant they were. The six-year-old twins were standing on chairs, stirring a batch of Rice Krispie Treats over the stove. Not a peep from anyone about it. (Not something I'd recommend. I always watched my kids with cooking and baking or did the stirring for them.)

If the editor loves your story but has a problem with the baking scene, they'll work with you on that (and so will the illustrator).

Ken · Sep 18, 2008

I'm unfamilar with writing for children. So plz have patience with me while I get the hang of things,
which shouldn't take long with the sound advise I've been getting

-------------------------------------

edit: Baking scene entirely eliminated.
The cake just appears in the MC's possession.
Now to start another thread about whether it's okay to have a reptile in a board book.
Kidding ;-)

Barb D · Sep 21, 2008

FWIW, my 8yo makes eggs by herself (in the microwave) and frequently bakes muffins and cakes by herself except for the oven part. She just made a glorious mess by melting chocolate chips on graham crackers in the microwave. She went a little heavy on the chocolate chips.

Why do you want to have her isolated? Do her parents not care? Could you have her try to bake by herself, make a mess, have her mom appear and give her a hug and a kiss and offer to help her?

Ken · Sep 21, 2008

thanks Barb. Neat way of handling it, but I don't think it would work in the sort of book I'm writing. // ps Got any left over cookies?

Young Kid Cooking / No Go?

Ken

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

Ken

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

CR.Casanova

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

Ken

Cassiopeia

Otherwise Occupied

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc

Ken

stormie

storm central

Ken

Barb D

Ken