CHOICES

I come from the school of thought that goes something like this: My way or the highway. That is how much of my medical training was set up, and I have to say that it was a pretty damn good way to train because their way was almost always the right way.

This brings me to parenthood, in which the trainees (aka my kids) are not quite so willing to follow one's lead. To say that Cate has her own ideas about what she wants to do and when she wants to listen is, well, an understatement. Thus, even I have resorted to giving Cate options on almost every matter. I am told that this gives children (and people in general) a positive feeling about picking one of the two options you have given them.

Sometimes, however, mistakes still get made. When I try to counsel Cate, I ask her, "Was that a good choice or a bad choice?" Normally when she has made a poor decision, Cate says, "Bad choice." However, sometimes when she has made a particularly fun choice that may not have been the best choice, she responds to the same question with the answer, "Happy choice!"



In these situations, when I look at that beautiful smile on her face, her point of view comes across loud and clear.