‘Make salt dough decorations. Paint them and share a photo’
That was the home-schooling work for today!
I was full on dedicated to the task. I don’t think Rhys was as enthusiastic!
I measure out the ingredients – salt, flour and water. Placing them in separate containers ready for my little learner to pour them into the bowl.
Then I pause.
The whole setup looks very like cake baking. What do I call it when I ask Rhys? I can’t lie and say cakes, nothing like adding confusion to a situation.
I decide to be honest.
“Rhys, let’s make dough decorations” I say holding up the wooden spoon as a prop.
He happily walks with me to the kitchen. I have been clever (not an amateur at engaging with Rhys) and have ignored the Christmas decoration cutters, opting for numbers.
Numbers win every time.
“Rhys, pour flour” I say, helping him with the bowl. He pours it into the mixing bowl and lifts the wooden spoon to stir.
“Now salt” I add, handing him the second bowel.
He adds it to the mixture adding his own commentary, “Stir, stir, stir!”
I pour the water in and hope for a bit of sensory engagement, with finger kneading the dough. But as I mix Rhys immediately jumps down from the step.
“Rhys, come stir” I reiterate.
“Eggs!” He shouts back, pointing to the egg basket.
“No eggs. Dough Rhys”
“Eggs!”
I then look to the dough and back to my son’s face.
“No eggs, Rhys” I say once again.
He looks back at me, turns around and leaves.
I kneed the dough and start to cut out some numbers. Then I pause.
My son has buggered off, why am I doing his homework?
The then realise that I never actually turned on the oven. I must have somewhere deep down known the outcome of this.
I gather up the mixture and toss it in the food waste bin.
Screw that. Time for a cup of tea!
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