whole grains; a.k.a. being yourself

When I am too tired or too busy (read lazy?) to cook something decent for dinner, I have a multitude of quick fixes that I prepare. Sadly, most of the meals I actually know how to make fall under this category. My ultimate quick-fix is oatmeal. Even in the middle of summer, as long as it's not hot enough to cook it outside on the porch.

Oatmeal is quick & easy to make (you just need water, oats, milk and a little brown sugar, and seven minutes). It's healthy (I like to keep an eye on my kids fiber intake). It's filling (if I can get them to eat it all, which they will if they're hungry, then I can usually avoid the "I'm hungry because it's bedtime" syndrome). And it allows for individuality. Yes, you read it right. Individuality.

My girls are close enough in age that my youngest thinks she is four and my oldest sometimes tries her darndest to act like she's two. They are almost 21 months apart. They have many similar interests and can often be found doing the same thing. I'm glad they enjoy doing the same things, but I also appreciate when they can choose something different from the other and each be okay with it. (Code for: you are not twins and even if you were, it's important to be yourselves!)

So here is where the oatmeal comes in. One likes raisins in hers and one does not. They both emphatically request their oatmeal be prepared as they like it and have no inclination to follow the other into the world of raisins/no raisins etc., etc. And I like that. Because they are going to be orbiting each other for the next 18 years or so and I want them to be able to share things without being competitive, and to be involved with different things while being supportive. So if oatmeal is where that starts, we'll eat oatmeal.