It was early one weekend morning. I was 8, maybe 9, brother Dan two years my elder. As we made our way down the steps for breakfast, there was Dad, sitting at the bar about to pour his bowl of Special K cereal.
Dad instructed us to get our bowls for an important lesson. He moved to the other side of the counter to face us. We sat and listened as he carefully explained and demonstrated the process of achieving optimum milk coverage in our cereal. It went something like this:
1. Be sure to pour just the right amount of milk. Start with less than you think and check the line at the bottom of the bowl. Adding more is a lot easier than having to drink overage with the spoon.
2. Immediately begin churning the flakes from the bottom up with your spoon. Turn the bowl counter-clockwise with the other hand at the same time. (At first it was kind of like patting your head and rubbing your stomach, but we quickly got the hang of it. It really is the best method.)
3. Repeat the synchronized process described in step 2 until all flakes are properly coated.
4. Dig in immediately to avoid soggy flakes.
I use this technique every time I eat cereal, which is nearly every day, sometimes even for dinner.
More important than the effect it had on my lifelong cereal consumption, though, is the fond memories it created between us. My brother and I will always carry the story with us and smile when we think of it.
Dad saw an opportunity to teach us something that day. He won’t say whether it was planned or spontaneous, but either way it had a lasting impression.
As parents we don’t know when those opportunities will present themselves. I only hope I can teach Alex things that she remembers fondly when she is an adult.
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