Be Nice

I have always struggled in getting through Alma in the Book of Mormon. Which is unfortunate considering that Alma constitutes a very large portion of the book. Why Alma you might ask? Well, there are obviously some very good bits throughout there, but when you get into the latter chapters there is just so much war and carnage that I begin to become dismayed and disinterested. Not so for my children however. The blood and carnage portions are their favorite parts. Perhaps Moroni included all this with the understanding that the Priesthood of the latter days may be more readily persuaded to study the scriptures in their youth with a heavy dusting of violence. Just a theory.

Last night I was reading the scriptures with my boys. Ethan likes the pictures in the Book of Mormon Stories, but I like reading the actual scripture to them. They like to flip through the pictures, select the most interesting (read most bodies, blood and carnage) ones for me to read. Then, while they looked at the pictures, I read aloud from the actual book. We discussed the Lamanite army destroying the city of Ammonihah and Elliot points at the picture.

Is dat da army?

Yes, the Lamanite army.

Do dey have missiles and bombs?

No, this was a long time ago before missiles and bombs.

Do dey have bullets?

No, they didn't have guns or bullets either.

Mom, you're wrong and I'm right. Dey have missles and bombs and bullets.

Okay.

So how does my three-year-old know so much about armies and missiles and bombs? Oh yeah, I did take them to the air zoo after all. I do have to admit that gratefully, either by nature or by constant maternal vigillance, my boys are very nice--relativley speaking.

We wento the park yesterday and it seems we were constantly surrounded by boys of all ages being rude, inconsiderate or downright mean. I even had to break up a physical fight between a group of kindergarteners--me being the only parent on the playground. I am happy to say that my children were not involved in the fight. Hopefully this is not just due to my presence. On our way home we had a conversation:

Is Nathan always that mean?

No, he's pretty nice at school.

Really, so he's just mean at the playground after school?

How do you feel when kids are mean?

Bad.

Does it make you want to play with them?

No, I just walk away and play with someone else.

Good. Do you think kids would want to play with you if you're mean?

No, I'm nice.

Glad to hear it. Is it just me, or does it seem that it's somehow become acceptable for boys to be mean? I hear it, I sometimes think it--boys will be boys. And that is true. Boys are rough, boys are sometimes rude and inconsiderate. But this does not mean that becaue it is natural, this behavior is acceptable. This is also not something they will learn on their own. Someone must stand up and correct inappropriate behavior, not just excuse or discount it. My Grandfather's advice to my husband and I on our wedding day was Be nice to each other. There is infinite wisdom in this counsel. I'm doing my darndest to teach my boys to be nice. And to their credit, they are. Most of the time. Even though they like to read about people not being nice.