Weekend breakfasts, with a side of reading

A few months ago the Tyger came to me with a plan. "Mum?", she said. "Can I start making breakfast on my own on the weekend?"

"Hmm", I hedged, imagining the smashed plates on the floor, the burns from hotplates, the potential for electrocution. And all for a soggy bowl of cereal? I was about to answer in the negative when she said "Trust me - it'll be good... real fancy pants stuff! Like you get in a café! Can I?"

I'll give credit where credit was due - the kid knows her way around me. Café food with no input from me? How could I possibly say no?

But then thought of the mess once again entered my brain. Accompanied by images of small severed fingers. And trips to hospital. With me still in my pjs, because when you child has enthusiastically sliced a digit rather than a banana, you don't stop to get changed. Not with all that blood!

I looked down as she stood there, reading the conflicting emotions flitting across my face. I was about to inform her that I didn't really fancy spending my weekends pacing the corridors of the hospital in bloody jimmy jams, waiting news from the finger surgeon with a rumbling tummy when in a last ditch effort to convince me she said "Please Mum? Dad can help me! I really want to do this!"

The magic word "Dad" triggered a lightbulb moment. I suddenly realised that in order to make brekkie, she'd need to read recipes. Which could only improve her reading skills, which, to be honest, could do with a little polishing up. And with Galumph there to prevent accidental amputations, what could go wrong?

This was becoming seriously win-win. All I had to do was lie back in bed, whilst they busied themselves in the kitchen making some darn good breakfasts and Tyger, in the process, became a master reader and super chef all at the same time. What a way to upgrade her skills! Couldn't have arranged things better myself!

So I wiped the look of concern off my face, replaced it with a beam and shook hands. "You're on, kiddo!"

No regrets from my end! I have a child who might not be interested in tackling War and Peace anytime soon, but is more than happy to curl up on the couch reading a recipe book. And all fingers are accounted for. Huzzah!

Recipe for Cinnamon French Toast with Berry Salsa can be found here.