Favorite Thing in the World

At the daycare, we sometimes ask the kids an open-ended question and write down exactly what they say, in the name of creating our own version of Kids Say the Darndest Things. We also like displaying the cute quotes for other staff members, parents, and visitors to enjoy.

Past questions include:

1. What do you know about money? (sample answer: "You have to get a job and you can buy food and toys.")
2. If you were a dog, what would you do? (sample answer: "I would chew my mom's shoes.")
3. What do you want to talk about today? (sample answer: "I like to watch Cars at Grandma's house because I like Lightening McQueen...and, Miss Amanda, that is NOT how you spell 'lightning.'") Yes, my spelling was corrected by a five-year-old. However, in my defense, this kid is a prodigy!

So, a couple of days ago, my coworker asked our morning group of three students, "What is your favorite thing in the whole world?"

The list of answers, in its entirety:

1. "Ketchup"
2. "A horn"
3. "Sharks, because they have those pointy noses."

A couple of years ago, we had students who gave more proper answers--like "mommy and daddy are my favorites" or "I am thankful for my house and toys." But our current kiddos are very young, not to mention unfamiliar with being asked questions. And they don't know yet what they're "supposed" to like more than anything. As Luke said, "They just said the thing they happened to be thinking about at that moment!"

So, that got me thinking. Is that so bad? Is "ketchup" a worse answer than my own, "Gee, I can't pick just one?" Or, would it be right for me to give the culturally sanctioned answer ("God and my family are most important to me"), when I don't act that way very often? Maybe the three-year-old answered more honestly, since he actively--and very noisely--appreciated that horn all afternoon.

Anyway, who says your favorite thing in the world can't change with your mood? Why can't we really appreciate those pointy-nosed sharks one minute and go back to loving our mommies and daddies a few seconds later? Wouldn't life be more exciting if everything we touched or thought about became our "favorite things in the world" for just those few moments?

It's thanks to my preschoolers I realized how much I LOVE my frosted flakes every morning. And, that same day, I pointed several staff members toward the women's bathroom insisting, "You have to try the soap! It's the best smell in the world!!" (Yes, I even told a male coworker he needed a sniff.) Before my kids shared their favorite things in the world, I spent too much time trying to narrow down a really good answer to the question. But maybe it doesn't demand a well-thought-out, philosophical response the way most grown-ups assume...

Now, I'm off to cook some eggrolls. I think they're my new favorite things in the world.