The World at Age 6

The world at age 6, as it turns out, is much different than how a boring adult sees it.  For my son, the world is full of magic, super powers, and an infinite amount of time to explore, learn, create, and NEVER go to bed.  (Of course, I do make him go to sleep, but he'd much rather stay up all night thinking about how he's going to build his "super hero suit.")

Sometime around November, a switch flipped for Lewie.  The adorable little boy whose world revolved around trains was now introduced to the world of video games.  He first learned how to play Minecraft from his cousin Sarah, and then he received a Nintendo Wii U from Grammy at Christmastime.  Before long, he was learning all the intricacies of creating a world in Minecraft and unlocking Superhero characters in his LEGO Marvel game.

At first, I became frustrated.  I didn't want "pop culture" to change my son's interests or toy with his innocence.  But, after a few months, I saw how much FUN my son was having, and I realized it was time for Mommy to accept that my son was just entering a new stage in life.  It's a stage that involves homework and then the reward of doing something fun--maybe it's going to the park, maybe it's bouncing on the trampoline, or on a rainy or snowy day, maybe it's getting free time to play on the Wii U.  In life, it's all about moderation.

Yes, my son still LOVES trains, but he's sharing that space with loving Minecraft and Super Hero characters too.  Here's my son's view of the world at age 6:

I love his two missing front teeth.

Lewie:  "Mommy, I want to build Evelyn (name of girl in his class whose celebrating her birthday) a  Super Hero Suit."

Me:  "Lewie, how are you going to do that?  We don't have any material to make the suit, and I don't know how to sew."

Lewie:  "Well do we have any iron metal or diamonds?"
__________________

Lewie:  "Mommy, can we go to that special restaurant that you took me to a million years ago when I was age 3?"

Me:  "Are you talking about Friendly's?"

We drove in the car together, and he told me all the turns I had to make to get there.  It turns out he remembered exactly how to get to Friendly's!  We had only been there three time before.
__________________

Me:  "How is the (breakfast) sausage?"  Is it as good as Grammy's?"

Lewie:  "Yes, it's spicy delicious!"
__________________

Lewie:  "Mommy, I want to build my own mod in Minecraft.  It's going to be awesome!"

Me:  "Lewie, I think you need to know how to read and write to do that honey.  You also have to know how to code."

Lewie:  With tears..."Well can someone show me how to?"
___________________

Lewie:  "Mommy, it's the North Star.  Can I make a wish?"

Me:  "Sure."

Lewie:  "I wish that I stay alive forever, and I wish that all of my wishes come true!"

Hmmmmm....that's a pretty tall order!
____________________

Me:  "That raccoon is after our garbage again."

Lewie:  "Does the raccoon eat garbage?"

Me:  "Well you know...he's after Grammy's banana peels and chicken bones."

Lewie:  "Well we don't eat chicken in our house..."

Me:  "Yes we do.  You eat chicken nuggets."

Lewie:  With tears, "Well that's not real chicken."

Me:  "Lewie, what do you think chicken nuggets are made of?"

Lewie:  "Ingredients."                             
_____________________

Yes, at age six, you can do and be it all.  Lewie wants to build his own train, program and code his own computer game, and build a "Super Hero Suit" out of metal and diamonds.  It's extraordinary, but unfortunately, I find that sometimes the real world squashes his dreams, especially when I have to say things like, "we don't have metal and diamonds at home."

I hope he never loses his sense of wonder and excitement for life.  If only I could view the world again at age six too, for as it turns out, it's an age of infinite possibilities!