When Daddy Let Me... Cook

Being a Dad, I find that my tastes have evolved over time, whether it pertains to movies, reading material or music among other things. For instance, it is not so much the genre of music anymore but whether or not I can relate to it or find some meaning in the songs I choose to listen to.

I have made a list of songs that I will post in this blog in the future that appeals to me in the role of a father.

One such song that I will mention here at this moment is by Alan Jackson titled Drive. The words can be found here.

Every time I hear this song, my thoughts go racing (pun intended!). Not only do I envision teaching my kids different things at different age groups, but the song speaks volumes to me in that I can remember my father teaching me things as well.

I remember listening to the commentary on the radio of cricket matches as a child in Jamaica. My father is an avid cricket fan and I would ask him questions about the game regarding what I heard and he would patiently answer them (which was no easy feat; try explaining to someone what “forward short leg” means or what it means to be “square of the wicket”. If you really want to confuse the heck out of them, try explaining what a googly is!).

Another favorite memory is of my father cooking and explaining what he was doing each step of the way. For me that was priceless. In the same way in which the song speaks of the young boy being on top of the world, so did I as a young boy cooking an entire meal under my father's watchful eye.

I got the opportunity to play that role recently as Angeline, who loves to cook and enjoys watching various cooking shows, is always asking to make breakfast or cook dinner from recipes she conjures up in her head. So sometimes I would be in the kitchen with her and I felt moved when she asked what I thought or what she should do in different situations. Knowing that she is actually listening to what I was saying to her made for a proud Dad, much like the feeling I imagine my own father felt as he explained the very same things to me years ago. I gave her little tips on preparing the food, pros and cons of using different ingredients and on "plating" (apparently this is a term meaning the presentation of the dish which I learned from watching the cooking shows with her).

And I look forward and hope, as the song mentions, that my kids would reach into their memories when they are adults themselves and pull a warm memory such as the ones I have. Whether it is teaching Nicholas about soccer and watching Manchester United with him; or more time in the kitchen with Angeline – cooking and watching The Food Network; or teaching Jodi how to ride a bike, there is certainly enough opportunity to help create those memories.

I look forward to teaching my precious ones more things throughout the years even though the complexity of things to be taught escalates as the years go by. I believe though that these occasions, which I will call teaching moments, are a monumental part of the parenting process and make for a memorable childhood experience.