The scene: Son awakes from late nap and is famished. Wants to help spouse make dinner to hurry things up. Not strong enough to turn the manual can opener, melt-down looms imminent.
Whining ensues.
Enter GeekDad, stage left. Deftly assessing the situation, he charges out into his TARDIS, er, garage, and emerges, dual-wielding screwdrivers and electrical tape.
1.5 min later, he has constructed Geekling’s 1st physics lesson in levers. No simple manual can-opener is going to defeat his son. Eager to capitalize on this Teachable Moment, he turns around.
To find that Geekling has lost all interest in the can opener and has decided to reorganize GeekDad’s stack of work papers using Geekling’s own 43 folder system, finessing the fact that he can’t count accurately beyond 20. Helpful little guy.
Gentle redirection from GeekDad: “Geekling. Son. Bet you can’t open this can.”
Three whines short of a spousal order for a stat G & T, hold the T, he’s at his table, eager to prove GeekDad WrongDad.
He opens the can. Dinner prep can proceed. Family harmony prevails.
Half way through dinner, GeekDad remembers that he meant to tell Geekling all about mechanical advantage and lever arms. He hopes this momentary lapse in judgement won’t handicap Geekling at some crucial point later in life.
