Personalities

I've often been intrigued and sometimes perplexed with how my kids handle social situations. Where did they learn to act the way they do? Was it me? Or is it an innate reaction to events that makes them behave the way they do? Probably, a combination of both.

Today, while at the mall in the play area while our house was being shown (or not shown - see next post), Emma and Zoe were enjoying the climbing toy and other little toys inside the play area. There was one circular toy hanging on the wall that had several little paths and a ladybug that could be maneuvred through the paths by turning the wheel back and forth. The goal was to get the ladybug "home." Emma could get the ladybug home and was enjoying this when a little boy no older than two years came over and started to play with the wheel, too. It's pretty much a one person toy. Emma let go of the wheel, let the boy take over, and came over to me saying he took the toy. I told her she had it first, but let the boy have it instead of telling him politely that she was still playing with it. I told her to ask him if she could have a turn, otherwise she would have to wait until he was done. She decided to run off and play with something else.

Enter Zoe, a few minutes later. The boy had lost interest and Zoe went to play with the ladybug wheel. She was having a great time spinning it around when the same little boy came up and tried to play with the wheel again. This time, unlike her older sister, Zoe would have nothing of it. She pushed the boy's hands away and told him "No." I watched her do this three times, and the boy finally gave up. I was proud of her, standing her ground. Even though I want her to be a kid who shares and is generous, I also want her to be a kid who doesn't let others push her around. I saw that in her today.