Honed granite is beautiful but will absorb oils & spills & darken in those areas, this type of top is higher Maintenance. even honed quartz from companies such as caeserstone require more maintenance. Resealing more often can help but with a honed surface the pores of the material are open & more absorbent.
Honing the granite does not affect durability but with small children keep paper towels or dishcloths close at hand, the quicker the cleanup the better. Baking soda can be used to absorb stains & oils but as far as ease for your situation a flat black solid surface material can be given a matte finish & while not as hard as granite maintaining would be much easier. Either way remember, a solid black countertop can be like a black car... It shows everything.

I would be interested to know what color are your cabinets, flooring and wall color?

If you want durability consider a polished black Ceasarstone or comparable brand. I just put this material in a kitchen for a family with teenage boys and three dogs, there is a lot of traffic here. It is very hardy. I would say the polished is better and not that far off from the original look you wanted.
http://www.caesarstoneus.com/products/color/6100/
Hope that helps. Charmean Neithart

I would really advise against any "black" counter surface, if you are concerned about regular use in your kitchen renovation. A black material surface acts similar to a mirror. Every fingerprint , streak, spill, peanut butter and jelly stain will stand out, and the maintenance in keeping it clean will be constant. Unless you can live with the continuous care of spraying it down and wiping it dry, weather honed or polished, you might regret this as a the counter surface. I would recommend that you go ahead with either a natural granite in a varied organic pattern or a lighter and brighter surface in natural stone or stone composition such as Caesarstone or Silestone. Polished surfaces requires less care and will not absorb stains as much. Honed will require you to wipe all stains immediately or they will absorb into the surface. Black is more forgiving but scratches will show also.

I will never forget seeing a "Showcase Home" featuring Absolute Black polished granite as a counter surface and black appliances in a really sleak kitchen design. It looked showy and eye catching, but I saw every fingerprint that touched every black surface, that distroyed the look that the designer was trying to achieve. I hope this helps you with your decision.

I prefer soapstone for a honed black surface. Think back to the chemistry lab counters at school. The are impervious to acids or base and only require mineral oil to seal. The can be cut with wood working tools and scratches can be sanded out with a palm sander or sanding block and resealed.