She Didn’t Panic. I Almost Did.

This morning, my daughter tried to make pancakes by herself. She measured, poured, stirred—and then dumped way too much milk into the bowl.

It wasn’t a splash. It was a flood.

She froze. I almost did too.

Because all I could think about was the waste. The flour, the eggs, the milk—not to mention the time.

I felt the frustration bubble up. I was about to say something, to step in and fix it.

But instead, I waited.

She looked at the recipe. Looked back at the bowl. Took a breath, reached for the flour, and started adjusting. Slowly. Thoughtfully. She didn’t panic. She didn’t quit.

And the pancakes? They turned out fine.

Later that day, I remembered something I’d seen: “Don’t rescue a kid from a challenge they can learn to navigate.”

So this time, I didn’t.

And maybe that was the win.

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