My son’s bedtime ritual (like that of many young children) is written in stone. After reading a book or two, we snuggle into his bed and compare notes about the day. I ask him if today was a good day and being a cheerful fellow he always says “yes”.
After reviewing the highlights of the day — all the elements that made it a “good day” — I ask him which was the best part. Often the answer surprises me but after some reflection I decided this fact was due to something pretty wonderful. My child has his priorities in the right order.
Noah’s grandparents live in another state so when they visit there tends to be even more spoiling than might be expected from grandparents. One visit from my parents included several small gifts presented at the beginning of the visit, a trip to Wal-Mart with grandparents to purchase a new power ranger, and another trip to Wal-Mart with Grandpa to buy a new Spider Man bike and helmet (Noah’s first big bike). They also took him on several outings to the park, children’s museum, McDonalds and so on.
However after the grandparents had departed I asked Noah about the best...