I use a sneaky mom trick every year on the first day of school – it works like a charm to make my kids do what I want

FOOD is the key to the soul, says an experienced mom who has shared a handy trick she uses on the first day of school.

The technique, she revealed, gets her children to open up to her the way she wants.

TikTok/thestayathomechef

Rachel Farnsworth ( @thestayathomechef ) shared the parenting tip in a TikTok video.

She explained that every year, on the first day of school, she prepares chocolate chip cookies for her kids.

On the surface, the treats may seem like a mere thoughtful gesture.

“It’s not just some cute super mom thing to do; it’s actually a sneaky mom trick,” she said.

Farnsworth explained the cookies help her kids relax and unwind after a stressful first day.

The sweets, however, also serve a dual purpose.

She explained that the trick is to make sure you don’t prepare the cookies before the children return home.

Farnsworth strategically preheats her oven and makes sure it’s ready to go, as well as preparing the cookie dough ahead of time.

She sets the ingredients aside in the fridge and makes sure to bake the cookies once the kids are home.

“I pop them in the oven, and they take about ten to 12 minutes to bake, so they have ten to 12 minutes where they’re just sitting, hovering in the kitchen, and they tell me all about their day,” she said.

The mom added that the handy technique works on a variety of occasions, not just the first day of school.

“You can use it any time your kid is going through a rough time — there’s something about sitting in the kitchen and waiting for food that makes people just smile,” she added.

Farnsworth explained that the trick has proved to be foolproof and has worked for her for over a decade.

Viewers took to the comments to share their thoughts on her parenting hack.

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“Why does this make me want to cry?” said one commenter.

“I cried watching this. This is so wholesome and will mean so much more to them as they grow older and realize you did it for quality time with them,” agreed another.

Parents agreed that the technique helped with getting kids to open up.

“Great for when they’re teens and coming home from a date,” said one.

“I would wait until midnight to put my cookies in the oven when they were due home.”

“This is such a great idea! My daughter is an emotional wreck the first few days at school. This will definitely help!” said another.