Fame!

Today Jake and I were working on a jigsaw puzzle while Grace slept. The puzzle is a picture of American landmarks, which I explained as famous places around the US. Jake announced, "Someday I want to be famous."

"Really? Why?" I asked.

"Because when you are famous, all your friends will think you are cool and you will be the best at it. Everyone will say, 'Good job!'"

Suddenly my mind was reeling. Oh my gosh! He is lacking self-esteem! We don't praise him enough! How we've failed! What values are we displaying?! I began thinking of some profound thing to say that would, of course, remain with him for years, and he would always look back and remember what his wise mother once told him.

"Jake, being famous isn't all that great. Mommy and Daddy think..."

"It has to be something you are really good at..."

"...we think that being happy is a lot more important than having everybody think..."

"Yeah, being happy is good. What am I really good at?"

"Well, you are really good at a lot of things." I began spouting off all the things Jake has mastered, thinking I was saving him from a stint in rehab 20 years from now.

I realize that I do this all the time. My children will make the slightest comment and I view it as a peephole into their psyche. I hope it's called "being a mom," but I also know that just because Jake wants to be "famous," doesn't mean he will be bringing Nicole Richie to Sunday dinners. Kids say kid things. I should probably cool it a bit.

"I know! I know what I will be famous for! You know what I am really good at?" Jake asked.

"What?"

"Playing Batman!!!" He is talking about a computer game he has recently discovered.

Maybe I need to cool it a lot.

"Grandma," he added, "is not famous at Batman. She tried it on the 4th of July and wasn't very good."