My mom has always talked about how smart she thinks Zack is. She is always bragging about the things he says and does. She is always telling me what an "awesome responsibility" I have, home schooling such a gifted child.
When he was about 4 years old, I was listening to my mother go on and on about how brilliant he was as he played in the floor at her feet. Sarcastically I said, "Yup. He's a genius. That little kid sitting right there with Lincoln Logs in his ears is going to be a rocket scientist!"
My mom is a proud grandma and don't get me wrong - I've always been extremely happy that she is so involved in my children's lives. I've always been thrilled with the fact that she thinks my children are amazing.
Mom has been talking about my "genius child" since he was a baby, but to be perfectly honest, I just didn't see it . . . . until yesterday.
Zack had to eat a late lunch because he took too long finishing up his math worksheet. (He likes math, but he likes looking out the window better.) So, he was sitting at the kitchen table, by himself, eating a plate of leftover tater-tot casserole and it was taking him forever to eat. (He likes tater-tot casserole, but he likes looking out the window better.)
All of a sudden, he jumps up from the table and says "Hey mom! I just got a great idea!" Then he goes on to explain that he has seen pictures of Japan after the earthquake and he noticed something odd. The houses fell down, but the trees did not. It's because the houses didn't have roots. So, when he grows up, he is going to build an "earthquake safe house". The house is going to have roots that go deep into the ground. The house will still shake, but it won't fall down on people. It will keep them safe.
OK, so maybe mom is right. Maybe my 7 year old little boy IS brilliant. Maybe I should have seen it when mom did. Maybe I should have seen it when the pediatrician told us at age 2, his vocabulary was extraordinary. Maybe I should have seen it when he started to read at age 3. Maybe I should have seen it when he designed and built a solar-powered oven. Maybe I should have seen it when he started playing, and sometimes winning, the game of chess.
Maybe he IS a genius . . . . .or maybe he's just a goofy little kid with Lincoln Logs in his ears.
