Spaghetti Tacos

Spaghetti Tacos

    This may go down as one of the best things that I have agreed to, or one of the stupidest, I'm still not sure.  Christopher asked what I thought about letting the kids take turns picking the Friday night dinner.  My initial mental response was "Frig No" (only I have a mouth like a longshoreman when the kids aren't around, and my internal voice is just, if not more filthy, and I did not say 'frig')!  My life is crazy enough without letting the kids decide what we're having for dinner.  Then I took a long deep breath and let the part of my brain that is maternal and sweet think instead of the control freak part that usually does the thinking.  It would be nice for the kids to feel like they had a say.  It would be nice for them to learn how to cook....... "Ya sure" I said begrudgingly.  While I was already being Mary Poppins I added "They can pick the meal and help me cook it."  I regretted that niceness almost immediately.
    So we began our "Kid's Choice Dinners".  I put all the kid's names into a hat and then pulled them out in the order that they would choose the meals.  In our house we need to give the appearance of fairness be fair.  Rowan was the first to choose.  He chose fish and chips... o.k. that was easy.  Next it Elly chose Fries and gravy and chicken nuggets... can we say clogged arteries kids?  Gracie our more mature taste budded child chose quesadillas.  She was a little more adventurous.  Last to pick was Riley.  Riley chose "spaghetti tacos".  My first question was "What in heavens name are spaghetti tacos?" (again I have the mouth of a longshoreman, and that is not how I phrased it in my head, but I am a mother and a classy lady, o.k. well maybe not a lady, and not really classy and I phrased it politely when I said it).  My immediate response "NO".  Then I stopped and mulled it over.  There was no harm in making a gross dinner if the kids ate it.  I would just eat something different that night.
    Riley was so excited to make her disgusting creation culinary masterpiece.  I let her put the salt in the pot.  I put the large pot on the stove, and let Riley turn the stove on.  I told her how long the noodles had to boil.  I let her put the noodles into the boiling water, very carefully.  I drained the water, and let her pour the sauce into the pot.  She filled the taco shells with the spaghetti.  She was very proud of herself.  It showed in her face, and in her voice.  What added to her pride is that the spaghetti tacos were a roaring success.  The kids all loved them, including the big kid.  I tried them, but honestly they were gross.
    So begins our culinary adventures with our kids.  I am sure that they will not be that much of adventures.  I am growing as a person by allowing my children some freedom to take risks and make mistakes, and for me to allow them to.  The kids are learning math skills without knowing it, but more than that they are learning the skills of independence.  One day as much as I hate to admit it, they are going to be on their own.  I would like to think that when they leave my nest they will be ready for the big scary world... I guess we'll see.  At least I know that they will be able to stomach daring if not gross foods like spaghetti tacos.