Nature or Nurture?

Kids will be kids. We all know that. And how much of it is nature vs. nurture? I've always hoped that I can raise my kids to be polite young men who grow to do great things with their lives. It scares me to see what some parents go through when their child rebels or goes down what a parent would consider the wrong path. Kids will test their boundaries, I know. And B just turned 2 yesterday, so I know I have a long way to go.

But I received what I consider a compliment yesterday that makes me think we've at least gotten off on the right path. B started preschool last month - he's going on probably week #5 now? And he's doing really well. He's one of the few who didn't cry at all during the first two weeks when things are typically the hardest and they focus on things like separation anxiety and learning to follow new rules that their teachers give them. The very first day of class, one little girl cried for literally 80 minutes out of the 90-minute class. But the teachers are constantly commenting about how mellow B is. He definitely has his moment when he's with us, but the teachers say he's pretty much the most laid back kid in his class.

William takes B to school each day. I get both boys ready so when he comes home from work he can change clothes and throw them in the car. Then he stays there with P, keeping him entertained while B is in class. Since yesterday was B's birthday, I took the day off work and took him to school. After I took B up to his classroom, I went back downstairs to the office to pay B's school fees for next month, and Becky, who runs the front desk, commented to me about how well B is doing. She also commented about how well behaved P is when he's there with his daddy staying entertained. I told her that they are both really good boys and that we got really lucky. Then she looked at me and said, "or maybe it's you." That's the second time someone has said that to me - maybe it's not that we got lucky and got kids with easy demeanors - maybe it's our parenting techniques that GIVE them that demeanor. I like to think that I'm a good parent, but I know I'm far from perfect. I definitely have my moments where I feel like I'm going to explode at any minute and wonder what in the world we were thinking. But then there are moments like yesterday when someone gives William and me credit for our boys' easy natures and it really makes me wonder. If it truly is William and me, I just hope that we can continue to raise our kids to be successful, personable young men that people like to be around. I'm sure we are going to have our fair share of challenges, but we seem to be on the right track.