"They're here!" the children exclaim running toward the door.

 

She smiles.  Her husband's parents have just arrived for the weekend.  It's always good to see them.  They come in…hugs…put down their bags…time to relax and catch up.

 

She looks at the clock.  It's 5:15pm.  Oh yeah - the chicken.  She would be so proud of herself if she could have dinner ready when her husband walks in the door at 6:30.  This so rarely happens. Luckily he knew what he what he was getting into when he married her.

 

Cooking isn't really her thing.  Some people have that natural knack for talking and preparing food at the same time.  They seem to glide through the room with ease, looking gorgeous and relaxed while handing out artful appetizers that woo all the guests.

 

That's not her.  Her cooking expeditions generally result in overcooked food and a kitchen that looks like a Jackson Pollock painting. 

 

Tonight she's making roasted chicken and vegetables.  She chose this dish because it is tasty and doesn't require her to juggle multiple recipes at once.

 

Now it's 5:30.  She begins peeling the potatoes over the sink.  She'll toss the peel into the garbage later.  

 

She goes on to peel the carrots then begins chopping up the vegetables.  At this point, she is deep in conversation.  So deep that she doesn't even notice...her tween son mosey into the kitchen. 

 

He thinks to himself.  "Wow!  Look at all that peel in the sink.  It would be so cool to watch that go down into the garbage disposal.  Hmmm."  He turns on the water and the disposal.  The motor churns as he watches the peel go down, down, down.  Suddenly the motor stops.  The sink begins to fill with water.  The peel is coming back up.  

 

NOW she notices.  "What are you doing?!  You've clogged it!  Get out of the kitchen!"

 

He didn't mean to.  He feels bad.  He wants to help.  He runs more water. 

 

Exasperated, she yells, "Stop!  Get out!  Get out!"

 

This is just what she needs right now.  This whole thing is headed for disaster.

 

She tries to calm down as she stuffs the chicken with lemon and garlic and thyme.  The chicken goes into the oven.  She breathes in deeply and exhales.  She does it again.

 

The aha moment arrives with force! 

 

This doesn't have to be a disaster.  It is the perfect opportunity!

 

She runs upstairs to grab the computer, types in "YouTube" and enters, "How to fix a clogged garbage disposal."  She calls to her son.  Calmly she tells him that they are going to fix this problem together.  First he is perplexed, but then he decides that he likes this idea.  He can fix his mistake and it even sounds like fun!

 

It isn't fun at first.  He painstakingly pulls each item from the depths of the cabinet.  He goes over to the desk and gets the flathead screwdriver.  He places old towels on the bottom of the cabinet and slides in a bucket.  Step-by-step, she reads out the instructions.  Step-by-step he follows each one.  

 

The pipe loosens.  Water rushes into the bucket.  It splashes him.  He can see the potato peel lodged in the pipe.  He pulls it out with a disgusted look on his face.  "Gross!"  He keeps pulling until the pipe is clear.  

 

Step-by-step he puts everything back together.  He tests to make sure that it works.  Success!  He has just fixed the garbage disposal!

 

He starts to walk away, but she reminds him that cleaning up is part of the job.  He places everything back under the sink.  He empties the bucket.  He finishes the job. 

 

It's 6:30.  Her husband is home.  Dinner isn't ready.  The kitchen isn't clean.  But she has so much to celebrate.

 

✔ There is peace on the home front.

✔ Her son's curiosity about the garbage disposal has forever been satisfied. 

✔ Instead of feeling bad about himself, her son feels capable.

✔ Her son knows how to seek out information, follow step-by-step instructions and clean up afterward.

 

She couldn't have designed a better lesson if she had tried.