New Skill Unlocked

As every parent knows, taking kids to the mall is rarely just a trip to the mall. You walk in with a budget and walk out spending more because your simple grocery run somehow turns into a negotiation over snacks and toys.

I was very good at setting boundaries until two small people started pleading their case. And, of course, I lost. But at least, I managed to establish one condition: I’d only buy them inexpensive toys.

Chris got a chessboard. Isabel got herself a mini toy make up kit. And they both wanted a Rubik's Cube. Affordable enough. Everyone was happy. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, the Rubik's Cube happened.

Once the cube was scrambled, the kids wanted it back in its original state.  

And when your kids are six and four, there's no way to explain that once they've scrambled a Rubik's Cube, you can't just magically put all the colors back where they belong. But to them, a parent is expected to possess supernatural abilities, including the power to reverse the consequences of their tiny, curious hands.

I could have admitted that I had absolutely no idea how to fix the situation. But I wasn't about to let a small cube of plastic expose my incompetence in front of my own children.

You see, there are many useful skills are person can learn in life.

You could learn a new language, manage your finances, fix things around the house, or develop a skill that might actually help you earn money. Heck, I could’ve used that time to improve my cooking skills, because, I hate to admit it, I’ve been slacking in that department. You’d think feeding my family would be a more useful priority. But no. Instead, I chose to learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. 

And what exactly can I do with this newfound skill?

It’s not something I can put on my resume. It’s not going to help me survive a financial crisis. And it certainly won’t make me a better parent, considering that after I finally solved the cube, the kids simply lost interest and moved on to something else. 

It didn't transform me into a wiser, more disciplined, more enlightened human being. The only meaningful difference is that I now have one additional useless ability, which only makes me obligated to solve it should anyone hand me a Rubik's Cube.

I wish I had something profound to share about this. Something about the beauty of learning something new, not giving up, or how every small accomplishment deserves to be celebrated.

And maybe there's some truth to those things.

So what's the big deal about solving a Rubrik's Cube that I had write a blog post about it? 

Nothing.

I just need external validation. I want people to know about my new skill so that all effort isn't entirely pointless.

So, be impressed, pretty please?