I don't want to brag but...I'm popular. Every time we go somewhere with seating--restaurant, movie, church--my kids fight over who sits next to me. It's flattering, really, and (to be frank) I do nothing to discourage it. At least someone likes me! I've thought about doing a rotation schedule but that seems so narcissistic (and time consuming) that I have rejected it. So, instead, when we arrive somewhere we all do this stand-and-shuffle tango trying to align ourselves in the right order for peace and tranquility. And justice. And harmony.
Lucky for us we have a member of the fairness police squad in our family. Maddy knows who has sat where under which circumstances since time began. There's a little corner of her brain that keeps track of all things justice related (maybe a classic middle kid thing to do?). Last week we went someplace and, to Maddy's mind, we sat in the wrong places.
"It was my turn to sit next to you, not Sam's," she noted (for the record, your honor) as we left.
"Well, next time you can."
"But Sam didn't even talk to you. I would have been a much better use of your time."
Some day they won't care anymore. Some day they will argue about who has to sit next to me. But for now, I'll take it as a great vote of support from my very own constituents.
