Mornings in our house have a certain charm. As we get ready for the day, the sun softly streams through the windows during the peaceful early hours. Even though I usually use the mornings to organise my affairs before the day’s hectic schedule starts, I’ve discovered a new way to enjoy spending this time with my 6-year-old son, Aanas. Making breakfast together has become a unique ritual that is filled with love, laughter, and education.
The traditional trio of pancakes, fresh fruit juice, and a vibrant fruit salad is one of our favourite breakfast recipes. It’s a simple, healthful, and—above all—fun combination for us to make together. I’ll walk you through one of our regular morning cooking excursions in this blog post and explain how preparing breakfast with Aanas has grown to be one of my favourite things to do.
The Beginning of a New Custom
Although cooking with children can occasionally seem like a messy, chaotic event, I see it as a means of strengthening my relationship with my son. I was apprehensive when I first asked Aanas to come to the kitchen with me. I was aware that the meal preparation would take longer and that things would become messy. However, as time went on, I came to see that the pleasure of cooking together greatly outweighed any small annoyances.
We began with easy chores like peeling a banana or stirring batter. He gained confidence in the kitchen over the course of the weeks and now enjoys helping with everything from using the citrus juicer to whisking eggs. Our breakfast-making sessions have evolved into a new custom, which I hope will last for many years.
The Main Event: Pancakes
Aanas and I made our favourite fluffy pancakes on this particular morning. In our home, pancakes are popular not only because they’re tasty but also because they’re a great way to express creativity. Aanas enjoys helping to pour the batter and flip the pancakes, and we can add a variety of entertaining toppings.
We started by gathering our ingredients, which included baking powder, flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and a dash of salt. Since measuring the ingredients is always enjoyable and instructive for Aanas, I let him do it first. I couldn’t help but smile at how seriously he took his work as he carefully scooped the flour into the measuring cup, his little tongue protruding in concentration.
“May I crack the eggs, Mom?” With an egg in his tiny hands, he posed the question.
As I watched him tap the egg on the bowl’s side, I replied, “Sure.” At first, a bit too difficult, but don’t worry, we had another egg on hand. When he finally figured it out, the eggs, milk, and other dry ingredients were whisked into the batter.
When the batter was ready, I gave Aanas a ladle to scoop it out of the pan after it had heated up. “Please, just a little bit.” As he poured the batter onto the hot pan, I reminded him while holding his hand. His eyes widened as he watched the pancake’s surface start to form bubbles. Then he did what he loved best: flipping! I gave him permission to flip the pancake after assisting him in sliding the spatula underneath it.
“Whoa! As the pancake landed (almost) perfectly on the other side, he cried out, “Look at that, Mama!”
Fruit Salad: A Vibrant Display of Colour
We started working on the fruit salad while the pancakes were cooking. Because it only requires washing, peeling, and chopping fruit—no heat or complicated steps—this is one of the simplest recipes to prepare with children.
I collected a variety of vibrant fruits, including oranges, apples, bananas, and strawberries. I let Aanas pick the fruits he wanted because he enjoys selecting the ones we use. I knew we would be adding a lot of strawberries because they are one of his favourite foods.
He asked if I could cut the bananas, so I gave him a tiny, kid-safe knife. He sliced the bananas under my watchful eye, trying to make each slice uniform while wearing a serious expression.
I let him toss them all into a large bowl as we proceeded with the remaining fruits. I urged him to sample each fruit as we went along because he enjoyed watching the vibrant hues blend together. His eyes glowed as he exclaimed, “This strawberry is so sweet!”
A Reviving Touch: Fresh Fruit Juice
A refreshing beverage is a must-have for any breakfast, and preparing fresh fruit juice has grown to be one of our favourite pastimes. On this day, we decided to add some apples for a sweeter taste to our usual orange juice.
I gave the juicer to Aanas. He enjoys hearing the machine run and seeing the juice come out. We cleaned the oranges and apples, then cut them into slices, which he excitedly put into the juicer with his tiny hands.
He couldn’t help but sneak a sip as the fresh juice poured into the glass. What a sweetheart, Mama! He exclaimed, “I adore it!” with a broad smile and orange juice all over his face. To enjoy with our pancakes and fruit salad, we poured the remaining juice into a large jug and placed it on the table.
Breakfast Time: A Treat for All of Our Efforts
Now that we had our pancakes heaped high, the fruit salad in a vibrant bowl, and the fresh juice chilled and ready to go, it was time to literally sit down and savour the results of our labour! Together, we arranged the table, adding small bowls of whipped cream, syrup, and cinnamon for the pancakes.
I experienced a surge of pride as we took our seats at the table. Together, we had prepared this meal, and the experience was just as important as the food. As we got started, Aanas was beaming with pride because he had assisted with every step of the process, from measuring ingredients to flipping pancakes.
He took a large bite of his pancake covered in syrup and whipped cream and exclaimed, “Best breakfast ever, Mama!”
As we ate for the next thirty minutes, we talked about everything from his favourite cartoons to his plans for the rest of the day. That moment—a mother and her son eating breakfast together, laughing, and relishing the simple pleasure of being together—was so innocent and lovely.
Knowledge Acquired in the Kitchen
Making breakfast with Aanas is more than just preparing food; it’s also an opportunity to develop his creativity, teach him life lessons, and create enduring memories. He’s learning patience, teamwork, and the joy of making something with his own hands through our time in the kitchen.
Additionally, it serves as a reminder to me to take it slow and enjoy these moments. Even though life can be hectic and it’s simple to get sucked into the shuffle, I will always cherish the mornings I spent with my son preparing pancakes and fruit salad. They are utterly gorgeous, unkempt, and flawed.
Therefore, ask your child to join you in the kitchen if you ever have some extra time in the morning. Even though it might take a little longer and things might not always go as planned, the happiness and memories you’ll make will make the time spent there worthwhile.
