While I was busy trying to solve my "sheet of steel" situation, and come to grips with using an angle grinder, my Big Lad decided to use up some "past their best" bananas and make a double batch of yummy scrummy banana bread......
which we ate still warm, after our dinner that Big Lad had also prepared by himself.
I think it's brill that Big Lad.....and Big Miss too.....are now able to do things like this.....not only is it a huge help to me......especially when I get caught up in an unexpected and long-winded job......but it's also great for their own independence and self-confidence.
Learning to bake and make dinner......things I believe are important life skills......seem to be far less important today......with such a huge range of ready made everything out there now.......than when I was a child. I think this is really rather sad, and also somewhat limiting to our children......not giving them the opportunity to learn a broad range of skills to help them develop into well-rounded, well-grounded, independent adults......skills that were once considered necessary to know before leaving home. Skills like being able to prepare a simple but delicious meal for oneself......or friends and family......are such a fundamental part of being able to care for and nurture oneself.....or friends and family.....it's a very real and tangible way of showing LOVE. Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now.
It's wonderful to see my Angels' self confidence grow as they work out what works best for them, learn new skills, and master new recipes.......it gives them such a sense of achievement.....and as a mother, it's a very tangible way of seeing them grow and develop......which brings a real glow to my ♥.
So it was ♥-warming to see Big Miss, the day before we went to Norfolk, make some lovely jam tarts, and my absolute camping must-have......chocolate brownies......so we would have plenty of treats to keep us going while on holiday. She'd never made either of these before, and did this almost entirely on her own because I was busy packing. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to sloooooow down and record these special achievements, we were in such a hurry to pack and be off, it completely slipped my mind to take some piccies of Big Miss's scrumptious baking......sorry, will definitely remember next time!
But it's not just Big Lad and Big Miss who have been baking......Little Lad and Little Miss made some chocolate refrigerator biscuit squares.....with just a little help and guidance......
and Little Miss helped me make some banana bread at the beginning of the holidays......
We seem to make quite a lot of banana bread......it's such a quick, easy and delicious way to use up bananas that have been left to ripen slightly.......but then somehow manage to ripen too much.
It's been wonderful to watch how much my Angels have become more independent and self-confident during the holidays, and I really believe some of this can be attributed to their baking endeavours. Little Miss can now even make her own sandwich for lunch......a skill which has well-pleased her......and probably everyone else, since she was always asking one or other of us to help her, usually at the most awkward of times. It certainly makes me think that learning good old fashioned life skills like baking really can help to build self-confidence and independence......and if you can master those attributes at a young age, you're on the right road to becoming a well-rounded, well-grounded adult......and if I can help my Angels to achieve that, then I'll know I've done the best I could for them.
-xx-
No comments:
Post a Comment