on raising a rule follower.

We pull up to the school and across from our parking space is a fire lane. "Why are we parking here when the sign says 'no,' Mama?" She asks, sincere concern in her voice.

"We can talk in the bathroom now, Mom. But Miss Van Dyk doesn't let the kid girls talk in here during school, but we can."

And my favorite, one of the boys was playing around with the little magnetic name board where the kids "check in" and "out" of school. He had moved all of the kids' names to the "in" position. Down to business, she marches to the teacher and says, "I know I checked out yesterday."

Imagine my surprise when I had a child who didn't just do as I said based on my words being "the rules." It's been an adjustment.*
*This is my boy, enjoying the Oregon coast in October, wearing his ironic white fruit of the looms, size giant.