Making Muffins

S. kept asking me if we were going to make muffins. I was busy. He took the initiative.
He got out the muffin pan and lined it with papers. He got out two mixing bowls, announcing one was for dry ingredients, one was for wet ingredients.

 He opened the cupboard and chose his recipe: applesauce muffins. He read the first three ingredients and carefully measured them into the bowl, even successfully cracking an egg. (I came over and cracked the second egg).

By now he had my attention, and I guided him through the dry ingredients, showing him how to level-off the flour with a Zoopals spreader. He whisked the dry ingredients together. Once he was done stirring, I let him have a few chocolate chips so I could put the first muffins in their papers neatly. Then he joined me for a few turns.

Taking personal initiative to do good is one of the most important qualities I have wanted to see in my children. The skill to go with it is another.
I've never felt more proud of a batch of muffins.

The verdict: Baking is way easier than "we" think it is. This proves to me that if a child can read and follow directions, they can follow a recipe. There are really only a few skills to learn in baking: cracking eggs, measuring dry ingredients and measuring wet ingredients.
I'm obviously way under-challenging my older children.