Monday, December 01, 2008

Nervous or Excited?

I recently had the joy of teaching my kids the meaning of the words "optimist" and "pessimist." It went like this:

We were taking a different route home so that we could stop by Whole Foods. As we drove down Poplar, the kids kept asking where we were going. I vaguely said, "a store," so Chloe starting guessing that we were going in every store that we passed. When stopped at the light at Highland, Chloe pointed to Spin Street.

"Let's go in there!"

I replied that it would be fun, since that store has toys and stuff, but that wasn't it. Chloe agreed that it would be fun, while Connor took a different position.

"Chloe, why would you think it would be fun? You've never even been in there!!!"

I told him it was because Chloe is an optimist, or someone who assumes the best until proven otherwise. I also explained that he is a pessimist, because he generally assumes the worst until something good happens to prove him wrong. Before I could even finish, he crossed his arms over his chest, harrumphed, and said, "Fine then! I won't say anything else ever again!"

I tried not to laugh too hard as I explained to him that it's okay for people to have different outlooks on life, and that I love them both for who they are. I let Connor know that I was somewhere in the middle of where he and Chloe are- sometimes an optimist, sometimes a pessimist. He was satisfied with that explanation, but let me know that it didn't change his attitude one bit.

"That's fine, Mom, but I still don't want to go in that store."

I know, Connor. I know.

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