Cooking with toddlers underfoot

When I was a kid, my mom worked, then had to come home to fix supper.  I was the oldest, but had three younger siblings.  The way she handled it was to give everyone something to do while she prepared supper.  As the oldest, I superised the younger ones.  By the time she got supper done, we were usually half done with our tasks, and were ready for supper.

That is one time that I will pop a movie into the DVD player and while they watch it, I can cook semi peacefully.