Learning a New Recipe
Mom writes:
"I MIGHT be learning a few things. This morning, I was asked 'Do you know how to make ice tea?' I told her I did. 'Do you want some?'
Before we left this morning, I put water on to boil. I knew to turn off the stove when the water boiled and dropped in a couple of teabags. Then, about 10 am, I poured it into a pitcher and put that into the fridge. She wasn't sure if she wanted iced tea for dinner but I poured it anyway.
Given time, I can figure out how to cook something."
Mom's tone was amused through this exchange. Lyn's question was not asking if Mom had the skills or knowledge. It was how Lyn could piece together her request for the tea.
Mentally, I have the feeling that Lyn is about 6 - 8 years old and this exchange kind of seals it for me. When Lyn was 11 - 13, she knew how to make iced tea and had helped make it many times. It was because she forgot to turn off the stove before dropping in the tea bags that our house burnt down. The trauma of that day had blocked that memory from her but she used to know that the house had burnt.
More than that though, as I watched her interact with my youngest child, I realized his 8 year old brain had clearly exceeded hers. He tried to share his knowledge with her and tried to get her to share facts with him. I had seen the same thing happen with my older son. Fortunately, my younger is less pedantic and more compassionate which allowed for the exchange to happen without feelings getting hurt.
"I MIGHT be learning a few things. This morning, I was asked 'Do you know how to make ice tea?' I told her I did. 'Do you want some?'
Before we left this morning, I put water on to boil. I knew to turn off the stove when the water boiled and dropped in a couple of teabags. Then, about 10 am, I poured it into a pitcher and put that into the fridge. She wasn't sure if she wanted iced tea for dinner but I poured it anyway.
Given time, I can figure out how to cook something."
Mom's tone was amused through this exchange. Lyn's question was not asking if Mom had the skills or knowledge. It was how Lyn could piece together her request for the tea.
Mentally, I have the feeling that Lyn is about 6 - 8 years old and this exchange kind of seals it for me. When Lyn was 11 - 13, she knew how to make iced tea and had helped make it many times. It was because she forgot to turn off the stove before dropping in the tea bags that our house burnt down. The trauma of that day had blocked that memory from her but she used to know that the house had burnt.
More than that though, as I watched her interact with my youngest child, I realized his 8 year old brain had clearly exceeded hers. He tried to share his knowledge with her and tried to get her to share facts with him. I had seen the same thing happen with my older son. Fortunately, my younger is less pedantic and more compassionate which allowed for the exchange to happen without feelings getting hurt.
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