Shelby wannabe

When Shelby was around Lee's age, she asked me to play a game with her and then said, "I go first, because I always go first." Over the years, we have teased her about it, and Matt and I still joke about it. Today Lee and I were gearing up for a round of Candyland when he said, "I'll go first this time so I can win." I let him go first, while secretly hoping he would lose, so I could "teach him a lesson." Instead, he won very quickly and insisted we play again. When we play more than once, we let the previous winner go first. After getting to go first two times in a row, I realized that I had gambled on the first game and lost an opportunity to teach him a lesson on taking turns.

A couple of weeks ago, we were in the car when he asked to play I Spy. I agreed, and he went first. After our errands, I asked if he wanted to play again on the way home, and he said yes. So I said since it was my idea this time, I would go first. He said no, and he didn't want to play if he couldn't go first. I gave him a couple of chances to change his mind, and he said no. Naturally after a few minutes of silence, he said, "Mommy, would you like to play I Spy with me? Since I thought of it, I'll go first, okay?"

One thing I am really looking forward to about his going to pre-school is the chance for him to learn to share and take turns before Kindergarten.