The Black Egg

For the past few months we have been without our gas grill, which we've managed to live without until summer arrived.  I looked into buying a new gas grill, but since I'm going on leave from teaching, we are really trying to cut back on our spending where it is not necessary.  I'm also trying to do a better job at spending money in a way that reflects our priorities.  However, Summer can't happen without burnt hot dogs.  I mean seriously.  There's cutting costs and there's being ridiculous.  Summer without hot dogs is ridiculous (and don't talk to me about boiled hot dogs-- I don't believe in those).

When Father's Day rolled around, the kids really wanted to buy Josh a new gas grill; you know, the kind with the full kitchen attachment. These grills have everything needed to address world hunger; bean warmers, veggie grilling racks, meat grilling racks at different levels, potato salad coolers, cutting board lift-up attachments, utensil drawers and hangers and a bunch of other useless gadgets. I looked at the prices, even the sale prices, and had to say no to that gift idea as an option.  I brought up the idea of a charcoal grill, like the one I grew up with, and they loved it.  They felt like we'd be living like pioneers and they are always up for an adventure.  So, we ended up buying a simple little charcoal grill.

And there she sat in her box, waiting for assembly.  Father's Day came and we just gifted her to Josh, still cozy in her box.  And she continued to sit in her box until...our USA Men's Soccer team made the Copa America semi-finals to play Argentina, which called for an all-out USA party.  Which means burnt hot dogs!

Here lately, I've been trying to do a better job of teaching my children to be self-sufficient and more proactive in daily living.  I'm not sure why, but I've felt like I had to do things for my children in order to be a good parent.  I felt sort of lazy in my parenting if I made them do certain things.  Why in the world did I think that?!?!  That type of  mindset won't help them out at all! That type of parenting just grows children who grow up to be adults who will expect someone to do things for them.  I want to grow hard workers, thinkers and contributors.  So I pulled out the grill, still in her box, and drug her around to the side of the house and gave my children the task of breaking her out of the cardboard confinement and putting her together for her intended glory.  Burning hot dogs!

Right away they learned how things are packaged; in a million different pieces.  It was funny to watch them from behind my camera.  Margo went straight for the instruction manual.  She's so verbally connected to the world.  And truly believing that she was managing the project, she began reading aloud the instructions, step by step.  Jude on the other hand, well he's drawn to figuring things out spatially.  So while Margo manages through her guide, Jude completely ignores her and starts organizing all the parts and pieces without making her feel less in charge.

But before long, she gets distracted by the long metal tube, "Oh, I bet I can play a song with this."  And then starts the composition of a beautiful little arrangement.  All the while, Jude has silently taken over the management position and the engineering component.  That is, until he needed the metal tube, which had become the key part of the symphony.  Reality check.  She finally figured out that she had lost her position as task manager and had been demoted to observer while drifting off to her musical fantasy land.  She also lost her instrument, because as it turns out, it happens to be the leg of a grill.

They continued building, without a single word or instruction from me.  All the little pieces became a grill.

Towards the end of the build, Margo drifted off into singing again and noticed that the flowers were wilting.  So she went where she felt needed.  I love how different these two are.  It's fun to watch them be who they are.

The evening continued on.  The kids made cupcakes.  Margo made a banner and cupcake toppers to make things more celebratory than necessary (which is how it should be).  We changed into our Red, White and Blue.  We burnt hot dogs like Americans should.  We cheered our US Men's soccer team on, even in defeat.  

Moms, step away from the kitchen and pick up your camera. Allow your children to build, make messes, clean up their messes and contribute.  Dads, feel free to post pictures of your gourmet pizzas made on your Green Eggs. We'll burn hot dogs on our Black Egg.  

Pioneering, 2016 style, and loving it!