Me first!

Every morning, after the kids have had their breakfast, we go through this annoying dress ritual. My sons, upon devouring the last bite of their pancakes, race for their clothes for that day, to see who is going to get dressed first. No one says anything...for fear that it will spur the other to switch it into "high gear". It's a fierce, unspoken battle to be the first one to be dressed, complete with shoes and socks. My older boy is now 6, so he can get dressed all by himself...but my younger one is almost 3, so he is still trying to figure out how to NOT end up with both feet in the same pant leg. Usually, it's a dead heat, right down to the socks (with a little help from Mom, of course). At that point, all the pressure lies on me...as 4 white-socked wiggling feet are waving in front of me, vying for my undivided attention. I try to remember who "won" the day before, so the other can have a taste of victory once in a while...but usually, I make my oldest sweat it out solo, as he has just recently learned how to tie his own laces. When all is said and done, the victor is usually everything BUT humble, and I end up with someone pouting. I don't really know how this competition came to be in the first place, but I am seeing it manifest in other activities in our home as well. At bath time, for example, they both want to be the first ones out of the tub. At breakfast, they each want me to cut their pancakes first. And, of course, at story time, they each want their story read first. It can get really annoying after a while, and I am not sure how exactly to handle it, other than taking turns...the least favorite option of the one who goes second! I don't remember being this way with my sisters. Maybe boys are different and more competitive all around. For now, the battles are small and manageable. What I am really wondering is how it will be when the younger one learns to ride his bike, when Dad teaches them to shoot a rifle, and when they both learn to drive. (oh my!)