• Home
  • About

The Mom Hour

Happier motherhood starts here.

  • Popular Episodes
  • Complete Archives
  • Ages & Stages
    • Babies
    • Toddlers
    • Preschoolers
    • Big Kids
    • Tweens & Teens

in Blog on December 7, 2021 by Jayme Sherrod

Baking With Kids This Holiday Season: A Strategy For The Hesitant Mom

By Jayme Sherrod | @jaymesherrod

A small, flour-covered apron adorns the gleeful child as they work with their mom to finish baking the final dozen cookies for this year’s holiday party. The magazine photo looks magical. It feels inspiring. It seems fun. Yet, if you’ve ever invited your child to the kitchen to bake – or enthusiastically accepted their request to bake – you may have found out that the magic can be fleeting and the cleanup is pretty fierce.

Full transparency – I love to bake alone, and I find moderate to high levels of enjoyment in baking with my three-year-old. Our baking began during the pandemic as an opportunity for something (anything!) to do at home, and just as my son has grown and evolved in the past year and a half, so has my knowledge in how to approach his continuous requests to bake.

The most important strategy for me is to look to The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi, and Name What Matters about the experience – for both myself and for my child. For those of you who find yourselves shoulder to shoulder with your child, whisk in hand, ready to bake, something inside brought at least one of you there, and this is where naming what matters can help make the baking experience much more enjoyable for all.

So working under this framework, let’s talk through some scenarios and devise a plan to make the most of baking with your kids this holiday season!

It Matters To You That The Final Product Is Edible

This is probably not the time to bring out the 25-step cake recipe. Choose a simple recipe that has some wiggle room for error. Also consider pre-measuring the ingredients into small cups or bowls before inviting your child to the kitchen. This will decrease the harrowing probability of adding a tablespoon of baking powder instead of a teaspoon.

It Matters To Your Child That They Can Stir The Batter/Roll The Dough/Lick the Whisk/Put The Tray In The Oven/Do Whatever Activity They Like Best

If your child is the one requesting to bake, take some time to talk with them about what parts they enjoy the most. Then, choose together which of those activities you will absolutely reserve for them in the process. This allows you to have control over most of the experience, while highlighting what matters most to them.

It Matters To You That Your Child Learns The Family Recipe

Push this baking experience to January or February! The holiday season brings with it many pressures, so trying to ensure your child can navigate the family recipe in the coming years may only make things more stressful. Bringing out a holiday baking recipe during the quiet month of February may be all it takes to capitalize on the nostalgia and your child’s ultimate retention.

It Matters To Your Child That They Can Decorate

If this is the case, forget the baking part! Either you bake the cookies before or hit the store and buy a dozen delicious, undecorated sugar cookies. There may be a mess after the icing and sprinkles come out, but you’ve avoided the almost inevitable dropped cup of flour beforehand.

It Matters To You or Your Child That You Get Quality Time Together

If you or your child isn’t fully invested in (or mentally prepared for!) this baking experience, consider another activity that is a little less rigid! There are so many opportunities to have incredible quality time with your kids that don’t require a final product.

Happy baking, mama! You’ve got this!

Want More On Holidays? Hit Play On An Episode:

[powerpress_playlist ids=”32892, 29361, 29198, 29153″]

Jayme Sherrod | @jaymesherrod

Jayme (pictured on the right) and her wife Amanda live in a suburb just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, with their son and daughter. Before her motherhood journey began in 2018, Jayme worked as a Registered Nurse and has since transitioned to being a full-time stay-at-home mom of two kiddos and three fur babies. When able, she loves baking, hiking, and sipping (hot!) coffee on the porch – no matter the time of year.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: holidays & celebrations, toddlers

About Jayme Sherrod

Jayme and her wife Amanda live in a suburb just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, with their son and daughter. Before her motherhood journey began in 2018, Jayme worked as a Registered Nurse and has since transitioned to being a full-time stay-at-home mom of two kiddos and three fur babies. When able, she loves baking, hiking, and sipping (hot!) coffee on the porch – no matter the time of year.

« “Supposed To Be Fun” Activities That Just Aren’t (And How To Have Fun On Your Terms): Episode 342
More Than Mom: Where We Nailed It (And Didn’t) In 2021 »

Listen + Subscribe

Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Amazon Music

save 10% on our fave calendar

Save 10% with code THEMOMHOUR at TheEssentialCalendar.com!

buy our book

click on the image above to pre-order The Mother's Gratitude Journal: An Easy Guide to Capturing Everyday Joys and Milestone Moments

Search

The “Surfboard Kid”

the story behind the "surfboard kid"

Click photo to read the full story behind Meagan's viral "bad parenting" moment...

as seen on

buy our books

The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read:
An How We Let Our Kids Go & Embrace What’s Next
by Meagan Francis

The Mother’s Gratitude Journal:
An Easy Guide to Capturing Everyday Joys
and Milestone Moments
by Meagan Francis and Sarah Powers

looking for something?

find us elsewhere

meaganfrancis.substack.com

sarahjanepowers.substack.com

midlifeladyleisurepursuits.substack.com

We'll leave you with this today, friends. It reall We'll leave you with this today, friends. It really is, for the most part, all gonna be okay. And when it isn't, remember that you're not alone.

💛 Meagan & Sarah
After more than a decade and over 800 hours of con After more than a decade and over 800 hours of conversation, connection, and community, The Mom Hour comes to a close in this final episode. Join Meagan and Sarah as we reflect on what it has meant to share this space with you—our listeners, fellow moms, and, truly, our friends.

Whether you've been with us from the beginning or found us more recently, we hope this episode leaves you with inspiration to carry forward the spirit of The Mom Hour in your everyday life.

You’ve let us into your ears and your lives, and we are endlessly grateful. Thank you for making The Mom Hour what it’s been.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio.

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Happy Saturday! 😎 It's time for our June spons Happy Saturday! 😎  It's time for our June sponsors roundup, where we remind you of our brand partners and special deals. ALL of our special promo codes and links can be found on the Deals & Offers page on our website. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to check it out.

Thank you for helping support the show by using our links + codes!

Check out our sponsors . . .

🛏️ @zlumberbedtools (15% off Zlumber Lock!)
🎵 @carnegiehall (fun music games & quizzes!)
🍋 @hiyahealth (50% off your 1st order!)
🪑 @wayfair (shop outdoor furniture online!)
👡 @vionicshoes (15% off your entire order!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
📅 @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
It's a bittersweet week for your co-hosts as we bo It's a bittersweet week for your co-hosts as we both recorded our last-ever episode of The Mom Hour (yes, there were tears) AND launched a new project out into the world.

Midlife Lady Leisure Pursuits is not meant to replace, or extend, or even spin off or pivot from The Mom Hour. It's so different in all the ways, from the back-end tech to our intended audience to our goals to our time commitment. That said, it's the same two pals on the mic, and we're having a blast!

MLLP is available wherever you get your podcasts, and we have a Substack for extended show notes. Click this image at the link in our bio.
New episode! What would you like to accomplish be New episode!

What would you like to accomplish before your next milestone birthday? Today Meagan and Sarah share our personal “five before fifty” lists, giving ourselves the next few years to check off some aspirations both lofty and silly (think big travel goals, creative dreams, home improvements and outdoor adventures). Whether you're approaching 30, 40, 50, or just love a good life list, this episode will get you thinking—and maybe even writing your own!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! Time is slippery—especially when y New episode!

Time is slippery—especially when you’re standing in midlife, looking both forward and back. Today Meagan and Sarah continue unpacking one of the most elusive and shape-shifting concepts we wrestle with: time. How do we imagine the future, how do we plan for it (tarot cards, anyone?), and how does our relationship to longterm planning and future-casting change in our forties? We explore the common traps we fall into when envisioning what’s next, the lessons that still haven’t quite landed, and how midlife has reshaped our goals, timelines, and even the way we dream.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! After a decade of sharing the ups an New episode!

After a decade of sharing the ups and downs of motherhood, we're wrapping up The Mom Hour this month—and taking one final episode to update you on the kids who’ve grown up alongside this show. From 12 to 27, our eight kids have been a background-but-constant presence on the podcast, and today we'll share where they are now and how they're each thriving in their own way.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! As kids grow up, it’s the littlest New episode!

As kids grow up, it’s the littlest reminders that catch us off guard—like discovering a pair of toddler socks or realizing nobody needs a kid’s menu. Join Meagan and Sarah as we share some of the small-but-significant signs that time is, as ever, marching on. It’s a conversation full of warmth, nostalgia, and gentle reminders to savor the stages as they come…and go.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
It's the weekend 🎉 and time for our May sponsor It's the weekend 🎉 and time for our May sponsors roundup, where we remind you of our brand partners and special deals. ALL of our special promo codes and links can be found on the Deals & Offers page on our website. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to check it out.

Thank you for helping support the show by using our links + codes!

Check out our new sponsors . . .
🛏️ @zlumberbedtools (15% off Zlumber Lock!)
👶 @sittercity (find high-quality childcare!)

And welcome back . . .
🎵 @carnegiehall (fun music games & quizzes!)
🍋 @hiyahealth (50% off your 1st order!)
🪑 @wayfair (shop outdoor furniture online!)
👡  @vionicshoes (15% off your entire order!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
📅 @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
New episode! Honi asks how our friends are showin New episode!

Honi asks how our friends are showing up for us these days. Laura wonders if we ever get recognized in public (and if it's our faces or our voices that give us away!). Aspiring writer Samm is looking for advice on getting started with writing, Lisa wants to know what we’ll miss most about The Mom Hour, and Erica prompts some reflection on what we’re most proud of as moms. And Ann? She’s eager for the scoop on what’s next—listen to find out!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts

Copyright © 2025 · Life, Listened
Development by Cipher