Sometimes, It’s REALLY Hard

So, Punkin’ Pie and I were cooking this evening. Beanie had a friend over, and Punkin’ was feeling all left out and sad, so she moseyed into the kitchen to help me put together tonight’s dinner of macaroni and cheese.

We were having a pretty good time of it. The sauce was made, the noodles cooked, the entire thing mixed and popped in the oven. Then Punkin’ asked what was for dessert and asked if we could make some brownies. I was pretty high on this whole cooking-with-my-daughter thing, so I said “sure” (even though I really didn’t WANT a brownie because I’m really, really trying to be a good girl about what I eat lately, but that’s a topic for another post).

SO! Punkin’ gets out the box of mix (because, domestic goddess though I am, I have yet to find a brownie recipe that even comes CLOSE to the goodness that can be had out of a box) and I ask her what we need. She directs me to put a cup of water and a third of a cup of oil in a bowl, she adds the egg, and then we mix.

I knew, as soon as she said “one cup of water” that we were in for a glorious teachable moment. I’ve made a ton of brownies from a box, and I know there’s FAR less water required for a box of brownie mix. For a long moment, I considered asking her to double-check her instructions for me. I decided against that, though, mindfully and consciously, because we’ve been trying to get her to understand how important it is for her to pay attention to directions and to be careful in the things she does.

She’s currently upstairs in her room, sulking because dessert was ruined and had to be poured down the sink. She is convinced that it’s “NOT FAIR” that it came out wrong, and I’m hoping that she can come, all on her own, that it’s not a question of fairness, it’s a question of awareness…. her own.