trash talkin', four-year-old style

One thing of note about our eldest is that she does not fail well.  At all.  In fact, because she didn't answer the phone the "right way" the first time I bestowed the privilege on her, she now completely refuses to answer a phone.  This trait, not failing well, is fairly common in first borns.  Or, so I'm told.

Once, about 6 months ago, Emory and I had a day where we enjoyed a couple of board games.  Now, the thing about the type of board games you play with a preschooler is that you can't "throw" them to "build" the self-esteem of the poor kid.  Which card you draw when playing Candy Land is not at all something you can alter in any way for your benefit.  Believe me, Emory has tried. 

On this particular day, we had played Candy Land and Hi-Ho Cheerio.  I had won both games.  This was much, much to the dismay of the big girl.  After many tears and talks about losing well, being happy for others when they win, and blah blah blah, Emory asked to play another game.  I can not remember what the game was, but what I do remember is her cocking an eyebrow at me and asking (rather accusatorily), "You gonna win this one too?"

So, tonight after dinner she wanted to play Don't Break the Ice.  We haven't played this one in a long time.  And, it's been a while since we've played a game.  Anyhoo, it lasted until we played the second round, which Emory lost.  I'd lost the first round.  When she lost, she did well.  No tears, just an announcement that she was tired of playing the game and could we now build a snow fort for the little polar bear man.  She announced that we would build forts and the one who used the most ice cubes would win.

We're building and I'm just building a snow fort and minding my own business when she starts in with the "You think you're building a good fort, don't ya?  I'm gonna build an even gooder fort than you."  A little time passes and she realizes that my fort is gooder, due to the fact that I have the motor skills of a 33 year old, and so she asks, "Can we trade forts?"

Puh-lease!

Comments

Mosshouse said…
Go check out a book from the library called The Bad Manners Club. It covers lots of issues that children Emory's age struggle with. We bring it up with Philip a lot at the dinner table and when he doesn't lose well (not at all well).
Nate and Molly said…
Haha. . I see a lot of myself in her. Maybe it's a first-child syndrome. I still don't like losing (though I can hide it much better as an adult!), and I still struggle to make myself do things that I'm not good at because I hate to fail!

Popular Posts