All We Need is a Pocket Protector

It is official. My 6 year old is a nerd.

A few weeks ago my son discovered that there is a quarter for each of the 50 states, which led to the beginning of the quarter collection. Which led to the 'need' for a quarter holder. Which led to him saving up his money so he could buy one. Which led to grandma giving him a nice map quarter holder for Kindergarten graduation. I'm sure the other boys were asking for transformers and guns and cars. He asked for a map to stick quarters in.

The other day he was studying his new map. He was frustrated because he couldn't find a state he was looking for. I asked which one it was. He told me he was looking for Hampshire. "You mean New Hampshire?" I asked. No, he was looking for Hampshire, because if there was a New Hampshire, there had to be plain old Hampshire too. When I asked him why he thought that, he declared it was because there was Mexico and New Mexico, so it only made sense. I'm still not sure he believes me, even though I showed him there is no York, only New York. Moms just don't know anything.

And if studying the United States map isn't enough, he has now decided that his favorite thing to do is play chess. I know nothing about the game, but he must be decent at it, because he has beaten his father at least a couple of times. And his father is the one who taught him how to play.

The other day I walked downstairs to find him watching Cyberchase on TV. Since he likes to play that video game on the computer, I asked him if he thought it was cool to watch a TV show that was one of his favorite games. "Yeah," he said, "but wouldn't it be even cooler to watch a chess game on TV?"

Oh yes. That is my idea of a rip-roaring good time.

Where have I gone so wrong??? Thank goodness he still loves basketball and baseball too. Maybe there is hope.

Maybe.