Often said to be the heart of the home, the kitchen should be a place to enjoy family life. But the idyllic image of a happy family gathered around the dining table, eating together in harmony is often far removed from the reality. With today’s busy family lifestyles, the kitchen is often the source of many quarrels – from whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher to who used the last of the milk. But with a little organisation you’ll restore harmony in your kitchen and avoid the little annoyances that can be the cause of arguments. Here are some common family kitchen bugbears and how to resolve them:
Chaotic Mornings
When you’re trying to juggle getting ready for work with helping children prepare for school, mornings in the kitchen can be chaotic at best. And if you find yourselves rushing against the clock first thing, it can get the day off to a really bad start. To avoid morning stresses, try preparing as much as possible the day before. Make packed lunches in the evening and store in the fridge so they are ready to go and then lay out the breakfast table and decide what you will eat for breakfast the next day. This means when you get up in the morning, you can enjoy a more relaxed breakfast. If you don’t have time to eat at home first thing, make sure you take a healthy snack to school or work with you.
Running Low
There’s nothing more annoying than making a cup of tea only to find that someone has used the last drop of milk. Avoid running out of everyday essentials by keeping a chalk board in the kitchen. When ingredients are running low, a note can be made on the chalk board so that you all know what needs replacing. Alternatively, you could introduce a rule that whoever uses the last of something is responsible for buying replenishments on their way home.
Dishwasher Disaster
They are meant to be a labour-saving device but kitchen dishwashers can cause many an argument in the home with common quarrels about unloading the dishwasher or remembering to switch it on. Avoid dishwasher disagreements by creating ground rules – for example, always put dirty dishes straight into the dishwasher, switch the dishwasher on as soon as it is full and don’t take out just one item when you could empty the dishwasher in just a few minutes.
Division of Labour
It’s common for the division of labour within a kitchen to be unfair with the majority of household chores often falling to just one person. If this happens in your household, introduce a rota so that everyone in the family can take responsibility. Even young children can help with simple tasks such as setting the dining table and if you let them help from a young age, children will be more willing to help out as they get older.
Recycling
Empty milk cartons, drinks bottles and newspapers can quickly clutter the kitchen leading to arguments about mess. Introduce a recycling system and make sure that everyone knows where to put rubbish to help keep the kitchen clean and tidy.
For advice on avoiding family quarrels, visit: www.familylives.org.uk
