Last night I was given notice by my seven-year-old of his change of career plans. I was taken aback. For years he's been determined to follow the path of missionary/helper of orphans/maybe preacher/some type of humanitarian service type of calling.
Imagine my surprise when he told me at the tuck-in, back-scratch part of bedtime that he was announcing a major change in direction. I was mystified. I had no guesses. Please tell, I said.
"I am going to be the maker of computer games," he said with confidence and a very obvious sense of brewing excitement at this news.
He'd been pondering it all day, I am certain.
With a chill of anticipation and an impossible to stop smile shining brightly on his adorably squishy face, he laid out the plans. It seemed to be a combination of his two most recent addictions... clubpenguins (an online free game of penguin type stuff) and the new Bible computer game he purchased that day with the gift card he was awarded by the First Baptist Church library upon completing 100 points in the summer reading program.
Obviously sleep was not going to come to this child until I heard him out. So, patiently, and with a grand attempt at giving him my full and undivided attention
as well as enthusiasm (equally important), I let him talk. It was the only path that would lead to sleep.
Although it was already after 10pm and I still had two more tuck-in back-scratches, I found it rewarding as I listened to realize that I was so in tune with my child that I knew, I just
knew, that he had to have time to unfold the developing ideas or he would simply
not be able to stop his brain and notify it of the sleep requirements of the household.
So, patiently (for the most part) I listened. Puffles. Dee Dee Village. Games, paths, quizzes, intrigue. It all really was too much for my non-technological mind, but I was impressed with his.
Finally,
"I don't think I can be both, so I'm going to just be a computer/video game maker."At this point I introduced him to the idea of becoming a billionaire like Bill Gates and then having the ability to do both by giving away the tons of money he will likely earn in his new profession.
On that note, I encouraged him to write down his ideas as they came to him, for they were coming so quickly I really had to escape or I'd never get to the other children also awaiting the end of the bedtime routine.
He begged me to leave his light on..... because he still needed time to process all his thoughts. Even though, he decided he'd write them down in the morning...... he just needed the light on while he laid in bed thinking great thoughts. I acquiesced. (i like that word..... happy to have a chance to use it! but i don't think either i or the spell check spelled it correctly... oh well :) )
The others tucked in, I retired to the couch with my husband, book in hand in case the Olympics were rather dull....... they weren't........
Around 11:30pm we had to lay down the law. Austin, you must go to sleep. All the rest of your thoughts can be thought tomorrow. This after the sixth time he came out of his room quivering with the excitement of the next development in his plan.
"Ok," he says,
"but do you think that I could do this while I'm still a kid? I mean, I could sell my ideas to someone who could make it into a game and then they could give me some of the money when they sell my game."Yes, absolutely. You can make that happen while still a kid. We just have to find the right person to make it into a game. We'll work on it tomorrow.
"Ok," says he.
"But, I know it's gonna take a long time..."Yes, it will. Good point.
"Like, maybe a week or something..."Maybe more like a year, dear.
"Oh!" "well, I can be patient."And there you have it!
The future career of my seven-year-old may not be too far into the future!
Raising up a generation of entrepreneurs!! yea!
Grammy and Austin
Alec climbing... Kaylee discovering yet another technological gadget brought by my parents...
