Teaching Moments

I'm the oldest of six with just one brother. When I found out that my first baby was going to be a boy, I thought, "What do I do with a boy?"

Three boys (and one beautiful daughter) later I'm learning all the wonderful mysteries that are a part of the Y chromosome. As my boys get older, I find the quantity for "quality" time depleting.

I'm so grateful for something I'm experiencing with my 8 year old and it is a blessing of being a member of the church. Yesterday he told me he was hungry and I made a few suggestions of healthy snacks he could make himself (I was getting ready for church). When I walked into the kitchen he showed me a few concoctions he created not only for himself but for his younger brother. Then when we arrived home from church, starving of course, he found a child's size apron and went to work creating all kinds of things and even delivered a few to the neighbors. I kept thinking, there has got to be a way I can take this enthusiasm, channel it, and make a real teaching moment out of it. Then, what I know was the Spirit prompting me, I remembered his scouting book and asked him to get it out. To our excitement, there is a "Cooking and Eating" requirement. I was able to sit down and show him the Food Pyramid and teach him about planning healthy meals. Then he and I planned tonight's dinner that he will get to make. He even wrote the shopping list for me! I'm so excited to have his help in the kitchen tonight and we get to pass off something for Cub Scouts.

I'm so grateful to have that program. I'm lucky to get a "Hi, Mom!" when he gets home from school each day before he runs out the door to ride bikes, find friends and do whatever boys do outside. I don't know if he is as excited about tonight's dinner as I am. I know these moments will come and go faster than what I am prepared for. I know the church's support of the Scouting program is inspired and put in place for an important purpose. For our family and for now, it is so we can carve out that time to spend one on one time together, for a mom to teach her child, and for a child to learn independence and gain confidence.

By the way, we are having Crunchy Chicken Toes, sliced oranges and lettuce wedges for dinner tonight.