Initiative

is highly over-rated.

Take Isaiah for example. Quite often he takes initiative to give a little extra help around the house. Oh Amie, that's so sweet of him. No, it isn't! You are among the duped who assume that initiative is always a good thing. So - not - true! You see, the child will have left his underwear in the floor, his toys all over the living room, and a big glob of toothpaste oozing out of the tube and onto the sink BUT he will suddenly take the initiative to wash the windows. Not something I've asked him to do. Not something I need him to do. And not something he's good at doing.

Not long ago he cleaned the bathroom mirror...with one of my Olay facial cloths. yep. Took me forever to figure out why their mirror was fogged up every time I went in there. Sometimes initiative is a truly horrible thing. Just imagine if I had taken the initiative to build the last 50 feet of the Golden Gate Bridge. No good.

So, when Isaiah took the initiative to put Justus in his swing this morning...let's just say it wasn't met with showers of gratitude. Oh no. It is the point at which initiative and incompetence meet that this "go getter" characteristic become inherently evil. As demonstrated in the very moment that Justus somehow missed the swing seat and was being held up by one arm. I was screaming "Drop him, Isaiah, drop him!" having quickly rationalized that the six inch fall couldn't possibly do more damage than the dislocated shoulder; and having been suddenly caught in that panicked time warp of slow motion that makes a distance of three feet feel like the length of a football field.

You'll be happy to know that the baby is none the worse for wear -shoulder safely in place. And Isaiah? Well, I'd like to post this announcement on his behalf:

Attention Future Employers of Isaiah Sexton

Please be advised that if your evaluation of and potential earning increases for employees hinges upon evidence of having taken initiative in the work place -Isaiah will never receive an exemplary evaluation nor a pay raise because on this the 18th day of September 2008, he has been instructed under threat of death and/or dismemberment (not necessarily in that order) to ONLY do that which he has asked and been granted permission to do. Nothing more. Nothing less.

And now, if we can just work on the incompetence issue. Don't worry -we will NOT be practicing with living creatures. You remember Lennie from "Of Mice and Men," don't you? yeah.