Teaching Moments

Bailee has an iPod (get over it) and occasionally likes to play games or listen to music on my iPhone if she doesn't have it with her.  She bats her baby browns and asks if she can put a new game on my phone... After a few seconds of the obligatory "do you really need another game?" routine, I acquiesce, ask what it is, if it's free and move on!  I'm positive I've made her happier than she was prior and that nobody else in the world can accomplish that but me!!??  Anyway, this new game is called "School Dance!".  She happily plays for quite awhile and then returns, once again batting the eyelashes with those big doe eyes, and explains that she has to have more dollars to shop for the dance....A mere $1.99 of real money can get her $1000 of "play $" to shop.  I asked to look at the game.  The screen said "You are not popular enough to go to the dance.  Purchase better clothes to increase your popularity!".   That was Grandma's WTF moment!!!  Let's sit down. it's talk time!!!  I really couldn't go with the clothes don't make the man discussion as we had just had a pretty good laugh over Papa wearing socks with sandals! So, we did have an in depth conversation about being popular.  As soon as it ended, she looked at me and said, "So Grandma, it's not what you wear or what you look like, it's really just who you are!" ding, ding, ding...... give that girl the prize. There is really nothing that can't be taught if we take the time to share the lesson.  We have so many obstacles thrown in our paths to raising bright, fun, compassionate little people.  We can't leave all the lessons up to our paid educators...... we, as parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and family, need to do our part when the opportunity arises.  They learn pretty quickly if we just give 'em the chance!!