Pancakes for Mom and Dad

I heard a story about a six-year-old boy who wanted to do something special for his parents and he decided he would surprise them with a pancake breakfast. Early Saturday morning he quietly got up to start his special surprise.

His journey began by pushing a chair up to the cupboard to get the mixing bowl, flour, and sugar. He went to the refrigerator for milk and eggs and put everything on the kitchen table to mix the ingredients. Before long he had dropped the flour on the floor, knocked the egg carton off the table, spilled a cup of milk, poured too much sugar in the bowl, chased the cat out of the kitchen and slipped on the mess on the floor. He fell into the table, hit the edge of the bowl, and spilled the contents all over him and the floor.

The noise awakened his father who got out of bed and went to the kitchen to investigate. The little boy saw his father, started crying and ran to his dad, who picked him up and gave him a big hug. The boy explained what he was trying to do and the father hugged him again, this time tighter. The boy’s father didn’t mind getting his mess all over him in the process. Rather than getting angry the father helped his son clean it up and make pancakes for his mother.

At the moment the father entered the kitchen, all his son wanted and needed was a reassuring hug. The value of a hug is amazing and the impact it has on each of us is staggering. Current research tells us that hugs are one of the necessities of life.

It has been said, “A hug is a universal medicine, it is how we handshake from the heart.” Our children deserve several from their parents every day. This simple resiliency skill helps our children bond with their parents with the knowledge they are loved.