The Study of Human Behavior, As Taught To Me By Four and Five Year Olds

Fourteen years of my life were spent in Preschool.  I guess you could say I was a slow learner!  But what I failed to learn in my Psychology classes at BYU these 4 and 5 year old children taught me time and time again.

Lesson #1:  In Preschool we had show and tell bags.  Two to be exact. Each day two of our little students were given the bag with the assignment to bring the bag back to class the following day with something inside they would like to show and tell to  their fellow classmates.  Typically, when a child would come to the front of the kiva to do their show and tell, there would be quite a few  children who wanted to talk about the fact that they had the same toy or book or whatever.  In fact, sometimes they had one similar only bigger and better.  They never wanted to listen to the student that was sharing.  They just wanted to talk about themselves! I have discovered this childish behavior does not always end with childhood!  I have even noticed this behavior in myself from time to time.  Personally, I do not consider this childish behavior a good one to possess.  Perhaps I need a sticker chart to help me over come this negative behavior.   Perhaps I  need to focus more on what the other person is saying and less on what I am thinking of saying back.  Perhaps I need to grow up and put away my childish behavior.  Now what were you saying?