What's So Important About The Middle?

At our counter we have three stools. For over a year now every time we have a meal where the kids sit at the counter there is a fight between the boys over who gets the middle seat. They start calling for it as they run to the kitchen. Then when one of them gets to it and sits on it the other one starts complaining and sometimes even crying.

There have been times when Josh has been so distraught about not getting the middle seat that he has not been able to eat his dinner. I think some of this is because if Josh gets hungry he becomes unreasonable until food touches his lips, but that is another post.

I keep hoping that they will outgrow this stage, but when summer started it seemed to get worse. So I started a system. Breakfast is Emily, Lunch is Josh and dinner is Joe. (Emily was included too because the boys wanted it to be fair.)

Things were going really well until one morning Emily wanted to make pancakes. Since she was busy cooking Josh saw an opportunity and hopped onto the middle stool when it was not his turn. This of course did not sit well with Joe, because it was Emily's turn!

After we got everyone calmed down and in their appropriate seats, we asked the boys WHY the middle was so important. They both said at the same time,

"IT'S FIRST PLACE!"

What do you say to that?

Maybe I should just go buy another stool. We will need one soon anyway.

But ......................

I am thinking I can use this to my advantage. Like, maybe we will start having cleaning contests to see who gets to be in first place from now on. I am up for suggestions.