Breakfast: Prepared

Let me start by saying that the adults in this househould are slightly less than organized by nature.  Haphazard.  By the seat.  However you say it.  Don't get me wrong--we're both overachievers...we get stuff done...just not in that type-A sort of way.  I like it.  It works for us.  Once in a while I long for an incliniation for extreme tidyness...or everything in its place...or everywhere on time.  But then I am thankful that I don't suffer the accompanying panic attacks that come for those folks when things start to fall apart.  And--its just a fact--things always fall apart.

After my kids were born I looked at them with a crinkled brow--will they join us on our wild ride through life--or will they somehow, instinctively (nature not nurture) be super orderly and organized.  Hmmmm. 
When we sort of fell into Montessori education and the girls' school, we both smiled.  This was the perfect solution.  Montessori is all about the "prepared environment".  The classrooms are incredibly organized in a specific manner that allows the children to learn in a self-directed way.  The pace is peacful and focused.  I saw my kids grow to quickly to seek ways in which they can be independent and to create order in chaos.  Perfect.

Well, despite my natural tendancies, I find myself from time to time creating environments which are Montessori influenced.  A low shelf of children's dishes.  A pitcher for milk so they can pour their own.  A limited selection of toys and games on a shelf, encouraging them to use one thing at a time and place it back when they are done.  Another glance might just show an attractive and organized situation.  Either way, I am thankful that our family has had the opportunity to be influenced by this.

And so this brings me to breakfast.  Our staple fall/winter breakfast.  Oatmeal.  Grind oats.  Make a tray of toppings (today is sunflower seeds, butter (thank you Sally Fallon), dried fruit, Maine Blueberries, brown sugar).  Boil.  Dish.  Eat.  It is simple, reliable, nutritious, inexpensive and a great prepared environment for little ones. Plus, it looks all organized and stuff.



A cup and 1/2 of oat groats, coarsly ground





Kids choice.