Pancakes, Bacon, and Jack Johnson
Is there anything better than Saturday morning as a kid? The week is finally over. Time to sleep in and have some fun. Unfortunately, our kids are missing one vital thing we experienced in our youth - Saturday morning cartoons. Sure, they have access to more entertainment than they could ever consume at any moment, but that makes it less special. When I was a kid, event TV meant TGIF and Saturday morning cartoons.
The shows don’t matter to my daughter and me, because we have something better. We’ve had a morning tradition that includes pancakes, bacon, and Jack Johnson. This ritual is as old as my daughter. I even have the receipts to prove it.
I like to set a mood when I cook. Different meals will garner different genres and volumes, but I feel Jack Johnson puts Saturday morning in the right lane. Play one of his songs in your head right now. Hear those gently strummed guitar chords with faint island vibes. Like all good artists, Johnson makes it seem so easy. “I could write that song,” I tell myself. Only I couldn’t. Not even a little bit.
Our favorite song is also his most popular - Better Together. It’s a sweet song, and it speaks right to our family philosophy. Melanie calls it our pancake song. My wife isn’t the biggest fan, but like all routines, the music is an undeniable part of it. I don’t think she even hears it anymore.
The second element in our perfect trifecta is the pancakes. Besides being delicious, pancakes are the optimal dish for a child to make, because they can pour the batter into any shape they like. Your kids don’t want to help you cook? Tell them they can make a pancake shaped like their favorite animal, and I bet they will budge.
Truth be told, waffles happen just about as often as pancakes. I like the endless possibilities inherent with batter, but waffles just taste better. I go full Leslie Knope when it comes to defending waffles. Go watch Parks & Rec if you don’t get the reference. You won’t be disappointed.
For many years, it was just this tandem team filling our ears and bellies with morning delight. Then my daughter tasted bacon and her brain exploded. If you have one of these picky eaters at home, whenever they fall in love with something that is not in their miniscule list of acceptable menu items, it makes you happy. Yes I know, most of you are awesome and make your kids eat only what you eat. I am happy for you. Great job. You did a good thing. My wife and I have done many awesome things for our daughter. Sadly, we missed the boat on that one.
Saturday mornings arrive with joy in the Miller home. They are wrapped in that comforting feeling that good routines provide. Our little tripod of a family likes our habits. They don’t get boring, they remind us of how blessed we are. What does an ideal Saturday morning look like in your home?
