Who’s the Winner Now, Kid?

Whenever I’m outside with the Training Station kids and the bell rings for the class to line up to go inside, there is inevitably a straggler or two. This problem is always easily remedied by calling the kid’s name and saying, “I’ll race you–I think I can win!” I take off running toward the line, and the kid’s pride always causes him (or often her) to take off in hot pursuit. These kids are fast–they win every time. Once they get there, they stand there proudly in line with a big grin on their face as they rub it in: “I beat you! I beat you!”

Yesterday one of the three-year-olds wasn’t paying attention when it was time to line up, so I resorted to the old foolproof racing trick. We raced to the line, he won, and he stood there proudly enjoying his victory.

But then the realization dawned upon him that he was standing there in line to go inside, which is exactly what he had been trying to avoid. His face suddenly turned into a scowl as he glared at me and said, “Hey… you tricked me!”