Learning from the Berenstain Bears

Children love the Berenstain Bears for reasons parents don't--repetition, light morality, consistency. Children love series and The Berenstain Bears is certainly a series. When reading them aloud to a child, I do tend to nod off (like many a parent, I'm sure).

Tonight, though, I realized I had learned my most fabulous household tip from none other than the Bears. In The Blame Game Sister and Brother break a vase with some roses. (I will also refrain from commenting on the names "Sister" and "Brother.") Of course, they blame each other and Mama Bear is too angry to whip up a sampler in response. Our ordinarily hapless Papa saves the day by suggesting they fix the problem instead of blaming one another for it. Fine. Good solution. But the practical steps that follow! Papa picks up the big pieces of glass. Mom picks up the roses. Then dad puts down paper towels over the water and smaller pieces of broken glass. After the towels soak up the water he sweeps the whole mess up! I had never thought of that until reading The Blame Game some 8 years ago.