Prayer Leader

When is it okay to break the rules?
Isaac does not feel any sense of moral obligation to follow the rules (unlike Clayton). At preschool, when he should conform, Isaac does his own thing. He climbs up the slide. He cuts in line. He speaks out of turn. He hoards toys. He fabricates stories. He dominates play time. And he paints purple when it should be red.
As a mother, I want my children to be imaginative, creative, and free from too many restrictions. But I also want them to appreciate and understand limits and structure. And of course I want them to be good citizens - which includes following rules.
Isaac and Clayton attend preschool at the neighborhood United Methodist Church where the kids take turns reciting the Lord's Prayer each morning. They are taught to memorize the words and pray with palms together. It's very cute.
At Parent Teacher Conference yesterday (yes, they actually do this in preschool these days!?!?) Isaac's teacher told me that she can't get him to say the Lord's Prayer. Whenever it's his turn to be the "prayer leader", Isaac folds his arms and says his own prayer to Heavenly Father - despite the complaints from the other children that he's "doing it wrong". She expressed how touched she is when he tenderly thanks Heavenly Father for his friends, especially his best friend Clayton, and for his teacher. In all her years of teaching, she said she has never heard a 3-year-old pray quite like that. . . and with such heartfelt confidence! (hmmm, she should come to Primary.)
I'm proud to say that Clayton says the Lord's Prayer in his class with poise and exactness - just as it should be.
But I'm also proud of Isaac for being able to just "do his own thing".