Me-First Nonsense

The first time this took place was a game between Daddy and Micah.

Daddy would say, " Let's see who touches the green pillow first." And both would race to the pillow yelling, "Me first! Me first!"

Daddy: "Lets see who hugs Mummy first." And both would race towards Mommy yelling, "Me first! Me first!"

Daddy: "Lets see who touches Max's toes first." And both would race towards Max yelling, "Me first! Me first!"

Max was just a few months old then. It was really funny and quite a good game...or so I thought.

Now it's a constant competition between the two boys which often result in shouting and ends with one or both crying for not being "first".

Grandma thought enough was enough and told us never to use that phrase again. Unfortunately we also find that that's the phrase to get the boys moving in the direction we want:

Lets see who put on their shoes first!

Lets see who finishes dinner first!

Lets see who pick up the toys first!

Lets see who... first!

Of course we don't get the same kind of results with some other things like,

Who wants to shower first?
Micah: Max!

Who wants top brush teeth first?
Micah: Max!

Who's coming out of the bath tub first?
Max: Max.

Who wants the medicine first?
Micah: Me.

So often than not, Grandma is also guilty of using the phrase " Who first? Who first?" So while there is a set back to that "Who first?" we can't seem to quite do without it for now...

(In fact, when I took Micah out on our own today, he said to me he wanted us to be the first on the road. I explained that that is never possible because there'll always be someone else who had started the journey earlier than we did, plus, we are all going different places, so you can't quite be first. His response was, "Ok... but I'd like us to be first at the traffic lights." Just then I was following a long queue to pass a traffic light and we made it just by a nip. Good thing he didn't notice the light changed as we were passing it, or he might have asked me to go back!)

Of late there was been a evolution to this phrase:

"I win!" shouts Micah.
"Win," says Max pointing to himself.

More often than desired, I find I am automatically appointed the judge to decide who won - climbing up the stairs, running around the sofa, bouncing on the bed, racing at the porch...

Aiya! There is just no end to this nonsense.

While I think it can be fun to have some competition now and then, I hope this will not contribute to more sibling rivalry than there is already between the boys. *Sigh*