On weekday mornings, I eat breakfast with Ari. I always ask, “Do you want oatmeal for breakfast?” since that’s what I eat most mornings. He often says yes since he knows he doesn’t have to make breakfast. (Typically, he’ll pop an English muffin in the toaster oven and coat it with cream cheese.) He’ll pour his own chocolate milk and will often stir the oatmeal. However, he’s not the one making it.
Both of my kids were downstairs before me this morning. Neither one had eaten breakfast. I asked, “Do you want oatmeal for breakfast?” I had one yes (Isabelle) and one no (Ari).
“You’ll have to make your own breakfast,” I told Ari.
“I’m not hungry,” he replied.
C’mon. This kid is always hungry!
“Well, at a bare minimum, you’ll need to drink some chocolate milk to take your allergy medicine.”
“Fine!” he said.
“You should reconsider breakfast. Are you sure you don’t want oatmeal?”
After a beat, he replied, “I’m sure.”
So, I got to work! Here’s a peek at this morning’s not-so-complicated breakfast for two. (Well, two and a half if you count Ari’s chocolate milk I poured.)
Believe it or not, Ari never ate breakfast. I was shocked because we met up with his friend at the park this morning. They played baseball and touch football for over an hour, and he never complained about hunger. Shocking!
Raising Literate Humans 
I had oatmeal at the hotel this morning before we headed home. That means no preparation and lots of add-on selections. So, with raisins, craisins, brown sugar and granola on top and no work beforehand, it’s a good way to begin a day. Ari should have reconsidered.
Your peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal has me envious!
I wonder how long this will be your breakfast routine. This makes me imagine Ari and Isabelle reading this in the future and saying, “oh, I remember when…”
As a child, I never ate breakfast when it was oatmeal or cream of wheat. The lumps or perhaps the texture or something just sent me into a space I did not want to go. I’d fill my spoon and swirl it around and wait until I could get up. Then, about a decade ago, the concept of cholesterol entered my existence and I tried again with raisins or nuts or cranberries or apples….. and real maple syrup. I must admit that I now really look forward to my oatmeal breakfast or lunch!
I love that you included images with text to illustrate your process. That’s something I’d like to consider doing more of in the future. Images offer a lot and can truly enhance the story you’re telling. Also, maybe chocolate milk is a miracle drink?
I love peanut butter in my oatmeal too. I go through phases of breakfasts, for weeks it’s smoothies, then onto steel cut oatmeal, then onto egg sandwiches. They all come back around at some point. When I’m on oatmeal I make a big batch on Sunday night and reheat throughout the week.
Oh, the pictures make it that much better. I love the bowls! I’m getting ideas for toppings for my oatmeal. I’m pretty much a banana in oatmeal person, but I’m feeling like branching out after reading your post.