Choosing the Right

Rachel has really been into the whole "choose the right" idea lately, which is kind of fun. I guess she picked it up in Sunbeams. For example, I'll say something like, "Now make sure you tell Jaeden's mom thank-you when it's time to come home from the party", and she'll say, "Uh, Mom? Of course I will do that. I always choose the right." Or, I'll say, "now when we go into the library do you think you should run around and talk in a loud voice?" Rachel's response: "Mom! Stop it! You don't even have to say that - don't you know I always choose the right?" Oh, yeah. I forgot. That must have been some other 3-year old acting crazy at the library last time.

She'll often throw her 2-cents into different conversations I might be having with the kids about good/bad behavior, trying to come up with the "winning" answer - a few nights ago at dinner Daniel and I were talking with the boys about something that had just happened at our house with one of their friends. (To summarize, there was a shortage of popsicles, someone had given up their own popsicle to this friend because he was having a big tantrum about it, and then when his brother asked if he could have a bite, the friend shouted rudely and pushed his brother away.) We told the boys we hoped they would never act like that, and then asked them what they thought the best thing to do would have been. They both agreed that the right thing to do would be to share a bite with the brother when he asked, and probably even split the whole popsicle with him. Rachel then piped up, "Well, do you know what I would do? I would take a whole box of popsicles home and give one to everyone in my whole family!" She then sat there beaming, like "wow, I cannot even believe how righteous and kind I am. No way can anybody beat that answer!"

She has also started to get a little frustrated at Elizabeth's lack of self-control in the "choose the right" department. The other day Lizza was doing something wild or goofy (so, basically standard Elizabeth behavior), and it wasn't even really a problem, but Rachel was very concerned. "Mom! I am just so sick of this! When is she ever going to learn how to choose the right? I'm just sick of this!" She then did a little sigh and shook her head at me as if she and I are equal partners in the on-going task to discipline Lizza, like, "What can we do, Mom? I'm at my wit's end here!"

The thing is, Rachel really is amazingly good for a 3-year old, and she does not cause me much trouble at all - it's just been funny to see her become so aware of that whole concept. I guess I should consider myself lucky that she thinks it's such a fun thing at this point in her life, and hope that she doesn't outgrow this phase too soon.