Blowing bubbles with bubble gum is a forgotten art form.
You have to be very careful in how you go about it.
It may take several days, weeks or even years (if you’re a slow learner) to pull off this playful childhood trick. It is definitely a learned feat; most people don’t pick it up right away, especially if you’re my kids.
I actually bought some bubble gum the other day. We hardly ever get this kind of a treat in our house, so I thought the kids would get a kick out of having some good ol’ fashioned bubble gum. Mission accomplished.
We sat around for some time exercising our bubble-making art forms. I am an accomplished bubble blower when it comes down to it.
My kids, however, are beginners. Putting me up against them with a piece of bubble gum isn’t very fair, but it is fun. They are quite amazed at what daddy can do with a piece of gum, a tongue and a soft breath to create a bubble.
A very big bubble, that if I play my cards just right, ends up all over my newborn beard. That, of course, brings a chuckle.
I didn’t always know how to blow a good bubble. It has taken a lot of practice.
Several sticks of gum were used with me trying to nail down a good round bubble. I really had to overcome the bubbles that come out of the side, or pop prematurely. As we all know, those can really get on one’s nerves.
Some may think I must have shed blood, sweat and tears to attain this high quality of bubble-blowing expertise. No, not really.
In fact, there are countless others out there who know how to blow the same bubble as Mr. Big League Chew here.
All they needed was the right gum, a little teaching and practice, and the bubbles just start coming.
My son, who is 10, is starting to blow quarter-size bubbles before they end up going flat. He’s in the beginning stages of getting the hang of it.
My daughter, who is a bit younger at 7, is blowing absolutely nothing. I may have seen a pea size bubble appear once, but I can’t totally be certain.
Everyone starts somewhere. Victory doesn’t happen overnight. We have all heard these expressions. My kids know it, and I know it.
They are truly amazed that I know how to blow a bubble big enough to pop it over my face, but they also understand that they will be able to blow them that big in due time. That is, if we continue to poison them with sugary gum.
We didn’t walk out of the womb. We didn’t start talking the day we were born. No one really knew how to play the game of life the moment they graduated from school. It’s good to constantly remind ourselves that we all start somewhere.
All things are possible. Anyone can learn how to do anything they want.
From the most challenging of jobs to blowing bubbles with some extremely hard chewing gum, it just takes practice and persistence.
Two qualities we constantly try to instill in our kids as they learn new and more challenging things on a daily basis in school. Also, qualities I remind myself to hold onto, because they really never stop being there.

Chris Jakubowicz lives in Tryon with his wife and children. His bi-weekly column will focus on how he and his family are trying to get back to their grassroots. Jakubowicz can be reached by e-mail at cjak32@gmail.com.