Schooled by Sam: Part One

I wonder all the time how it's possible to make a difference in this world - what can I be doing that sets me apart from being "just" another blogger, "just" another writer, "just" another nonprofit director....my life is filled with so many cliche passions in incredibly competitive fields - I spend a large portion of my days getting people to like me and choose me (writing professionally) and getting people to get behind my vision and support it (nonprofit work). 

I have yet to figure out how to stand out from the crowd. 

My six-year-old, however, has got it in the bag. Anyone who knows Sam knows this kid beats to his own drum. 

I started going through the mountain of paperwork he brought home from the last day of school, and I am reading through each notebook - taking digital images of what makes for great memories - and preparing to recycle the rest. 

What I've found is confirmation that our little boy is smart, creative - and totally a weirdo. 

I did not know this. It's cool to see all he learned this year. 

I knew this at one time, probably, but definitely had forgotten. 

Now it gets good.....

"the Neozoic Era is the time of humans. Humans are special because they have a brain."

I'm confused by this - no other creature has a brain? (Although this would totally explain my childhood dog, Mallory). I am also pleasantly surprised to learn that there apparently was an official Neozoic dance. Which is exactly what I would do upon learning I had the first brain. 

Good to know that we use trees for roof, walls and....welcome signs. 

Bird. He's clearly inherited my master artist skills. 

"If I could choose any animal for a pet, I would pick a guard dog robot. It will help me be robotic safe." 

Heck yes - who wouldn't want a guard dog robot? Take my money! 

Our family. I love how skinny I am in Sam's depictions. 

His self-portrait is so Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.....We've got some blatant school uniform rebellion going on here. 

"this weekend I watched Shrek. It's so funny. I ate popcorn and hung out with my family. My favorite part is when the bird exploded. It cracked me up." 

At church, clearly we dance on crosses. 

And....make bibles? 

"California is in a drought. A drought is when water levels are low. I can help conserve water by drinking less water. Droughts are brown. A drought is also blue or periwinkle purple."

While a periwinkle purple drought sounds lovely, his illustrated "One Drop Creek" looks pretty dire. 

Thanksgiving. 

I get the crazy eyes at Thanksgiving too. Yum! 

Okay, so one day I was showing Charlotte a Strawberry Shortcake episode from the 1980s (my childhood). Clearly not all were impressed: 

"Once upon a time there was a little girl who loooooved the fifties strawberry shortcake. Okay maybe not the fifties but it's old. And that night she did not watch it because her big brother and sister put a wall on her side and watched Marvel 33,0018,008,081 times. 

I love this kid.