"Daddy" Writing

Have you ever listened to a child talk about what he wants to be when he grows up? The responses probably vary from day to day, at least they do at our house, but are nonetheless amazing. The Little Nguyens have been through so many phases of interest that invariably affect who and what they want to be -- a construction foreman, a paleontologist, a spy, a garbage man (!), a handyman, a general, a scientist, and, the overwhelming favorite, a firefighter. I consider their ever-changing interests to be a good thing. My interests were more narrow as a child, and I only considered becoming two things: a nurse (for those cool white hats they no longer wear) or a teacher (so I would finally be able to write on a chalkboard with colored chalk).

For the past few months, the Second Little Nguyen has been, umm...obsessed would be the most fitting word...with writing words. Usually, he stops whatever he is doing and decides it is time to write, reaching for whatever writing tool happens to be closest to him. In order to retain my sanity as a mother and avoid crayon-covered walls and marker-stained furniture, I have always encouraged writing in our kitchen rather than in other rooms of the house. Well, the Second Little Nguyen has smuggled crayons and pencils up the stairs into the bonus room, into his bedroom, even our bathroom! I find his name and other words scribbled on all sorts of papers and tablets (at least he understands that his writing should definitely be limited to paper and not walls and furniture) all over the house. But today, he became obsessed with a "new" kind of writing. "Daddy" writing.

The Second Little Nguyen doesn't ask to use the computer very often, which I consider to be a positive thing. Usually he wants to play his Jump Start preschool game or something of the like. Today, he asked to use it to "write words like Daddy." He often sees Chi writing or checking code for some software he is developing. So he parked himself at the kitchen table with the laptop and started writing like Daddy. He started with his first and last name, moved onto the name of his preschool love interest, and then started asking how to write some of his favorite words such as -- wait for it -- fireman, pumper truck, fire truck, engine, hoses, ladder, pike pole, boots.... When I asked him what he was writing about, he said, "I'm going to write a story just like Daddy does." How sweet! Whatever the Second Little Nguyen decides to be, I hope he is just like his Daddy.