French fries provided me with an important parenting lesson this week. We made some curly fries Thursday night (with the new oven’s air fryer setting, of course). When I took the pan out, Ally looked and pointed out that a few had arranged themselves into the approximation of a smile. Later, Ce came down and pointed to the same group and said it looked like a frowning face.
French fries as personality test. And a reminder.
Parents can’t draw a picture. Not in ink. You can’t even really have a firm plan. Not of parenting. Not of your family. Not of each of your kids. You don’t know how it’s going to go. You don’t even have a say in a lot of it. You need to loosely hold the wheel and be willing to adjust. To be flexible.
To always be ready to learn and to change and to approach each kid on their own terms.
Frowning or smiling. Curly fries or tater tots.
