Miles has been saying “I want to be first” for a while now. Usually it’s when we go in a room or a building that he makes his pronouncement! This is a typical, fairly innocent and humorous comment for a 3 year old to make. And yet it is an example of how deeply ingrained it is in us to be first…with no teaching from us…at least no conscious teaching from us. (Though a funny image of that possibility comes to mind.)
Put this with a comment from one of our elders–”You have 18 years to teach your children how to put others first.” Wow…puts it all in perspective, huh?   3.5 years down, 14. 5 to go. Thankfully, parenting is naturally an emptying of yourself, putting your children’s needs often ahead of your own. Like right now, I have to go rescue my child from the frustration of one of his toys!