Toots told me she would make dinner tonight and I wholeheartedly accepted, thinking she’d put a pile of Flintstone’s vitamins on a plate and call it a day.
But no, she had something else in mind, and as she gathered the items from the fridge, I sat and typed at my computer, marveling at how she’s grown.
I heard various clanging and dinging from the kitchen, as she mixed various ingredients, announcing each one. “Wheat germ,” she reported. “Applesauce. Yogurt.”
Yum! This was turning into some sort of muesli fruit salady thing and I was liking where she was going.
“Tangerine juice.”
Delicious!
She didn’t need me. She was entirely capable of making dinner herself! And what a healthy choice! And heck, if she can make dinner when she’s four, I can press her into service for baseboard dusting! tax preparation! lawn beautification!
So I browsed some blogs, made a few calls, and pondered life’s mysteries.
And this part is true: I didn’t look in the kitchen. Not even once.
I figured I’d taught her the basics: cut stuff in your palm so you don’t have to wash a cutting board, give the raw onion a good sniff to check if it’s fresh, pour crumbs into anything you’re cooking for added texture.
More clanging.
“All done!” She proudly walked her creation over to me. “Dinner is served!”
She set it on the table in front of me, and it looked pretty good. It did. The whole runny, goopy mess.
Except that she’d made it in a colander.
Hee! Looks don’t matter so much as *taste. And the colander probably was for people who only wanted really runny, goopy mess, not runny, goopy mess with *chunks. I totally get it. :nod:
I really hate using this, but it’s true… LOL!! :)
so, so many questions. 1)how in this world did you get your 4 yo interested in wheat germ? and b)what magical tips do you have to share so i can also use my 5 yo son for some good old child labor? he only loads the dishwasher, which isn’t nearly as impressive as cooking dinner.
bowing to your parenting…
Ok, that was funny. Laugh out loud funny, and I don’t think it’s cuz I know her. Honest.
fabulous! i must be missing something, except i have a 4yr old BOY, so it must be a difference between boys and girls. my almost 2yr old daughter is into EVERYTHING however, so i have a feeling we’re in for a “colander meal” within a couple years…
HA – Classic! Mine’s going through a cooking thing too (must be genes from her father …) – this morning as I was drying my hair, she brought me Donut Juice. Thankfully, the donut was plastic, ’cause I would totally drink that for breakfast if it existed.
Just when I was thinking I’d invite her over for a play date …
Sweet, sweet little girlie.
See you tonight.