How did I become the official milk carton smeller in my house?

“Mom, will you smell the milk?”

“Honey, can you smell this. Is it bad?”

And I do, and sometimes it is, but most times it’s not.

As my daughter tells it, when she was a toddler, her father served her a bowl of cold cereal with spoiled milk on it. Ever since, neither of them trusts their own judgment about the milk. I have become the arbiter of milk quality, thoughtfully sniffing the proffered milk carton on demand, rendering a decisive decision.

They look at me with cautious optimism – if the milk is fresh, they can have that glass of milk and cookies or bowl of cereal. If the milk is spoiled, their culinary choice is quashed.

But enough is enough! I have to let my kids smell the milk and decide on their own if it is spoiled or fresh, curdled or creamy, sweet or sour. Let them sniff the mouth of the milk jug, swirl it around a little so the scent becomes more prominent. If they still have doubts, they can pour some milk in a glass and determinedly sniff the contents. Trust me, the nose knows.

The curriculum of the home includes reinforcing to our children that learning takes place every day in multiple ways, from determining if the milk is fresh to what to wear on a rainy day to learning to drive a car.

Instead of asking what they learned that day in school, try asking your child if they solved a problem or if they have a problem they are trying to solve. We need to model this behavior and “talk-out” our own problem solving so kids will know learning is a life-long process.

This talk-out or musing aloud can be adjusted with the age of your child. With a younger child, you might question what you should wear on a rainy day; ask an adolescent help you read instructions or a recipe; and discuss your family budget with your teenager.

What kind of problem solving will you talk-out with your children?