Our Child’s Best Teacher

My youngest was flipping through a photo album the other day and came across this picture of himself when he was about five or six. He chuckled and pointed me toward the picture. “Remember this?” he asked. “I was making pancakes and you caught me.”

I remembered it well. For some reason then he developed quite a craving for pancakes in the morning. At first I was tickled to make them and watch him enjoy every morsel of it. Going into the third week, however, I tired of exerting that much effort for breakfast, but I couldn’t convince him that cold cereal was just as good a choice.

Instead, I decided to make him part of the process. If he wanted pancakes for breakfast, he would have to pitch in and help make them. I thought he would decide against it, thus giving me my out from having to cook in the morning. Just the opposite happened. He took great joy in learning to measure the flour, mix the batter, and under my careful supervision, cook the pancakes on the griddle. Day after day we did this until he pretty much could do it without referring to the recipe.

Early one Saturday morning while the house was still and quiet, I heard noises coming from the back of the house. It took a moment to register, but I finally recognized the sounds of kitchen clatter. And I knew, I just knew, it was my pancake king. I snuck to the kitchen door and snapped a picture.

Our children love coming along side us and learning. We have so much to offer them, if we but take the time to share what we know with love, patience and consistency. Whether it’s teaching them how to make pancakes, hit a baseball, choose their first car or know Christ, no one can teach them like we can. We are our children’s best teacher.

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Helping Your Child Find His Way Around The Bible, Part 1
Helping Your Child Find His Way Around The Bible, Part 2
Helping Your Child Find His Way Around The Bible, Part 3