There has been some recent discussion in the Beyond Nuclear household about how our children do not do enough for themselves. When Sam asked for a hot drink after dinner tonight (because it’s April in New Hampshire), it seemed like the perfect opportunity. He is a responsible child, and permitted to use, on occasion, sharp knives. I will show you how to make yourself some tea, I said.

I put the tea kettle on to boil and showed him where the tea is kept, then told him to choose a bag. Lily appeared. I want tea! Wyatt followed. “Where’s mine of that? I don’t want a mint one! No mint!”

So now I am showing Sam how to make three cups of tea, of two different kinds, which was probably more practical anyway. In our house we make the tea in a big pyrex measuring cup (or in this case two), then pour it into small, actually breakable tea cups with handles and then out in lots of sugar. There is much discussion about not putting wet spoons into the sugar. Many, many spoons are used. (Are we the only house that goes through about a dozen spoons at every meal?)

Sam got into the spirit, refilled tea, and says he thinks he could do it himself next time “with a stepstool.” But what started as a simple endeavor didn’t end that way at all. They never do.