Sorry I’m not Noam Chomsky (Nancy vs. The Rapture).

I suppose I could have been more effective in communicating with my son.

When I said "go to bed," it seemed fairly straightforward in my own head, but I guess I could have been more clear, now that I really think about it. A hard directive to understand.

"Why are you not sleeping?"
I asked.

- "Because I'm just drawing,"
he said.

"Oh."
I said.
Because I couldn't think of anything else.

And I watched him draw,
and was mesmerized.

- "Why do I have bad dreams, Daddy?"

"Well...have you considered drawing something more peaceful than aliens, bad robots, and sword-wielding soldiers?"
I asked.

- "Oh."
he said.

"I'll just draw a cyclops. A cyclops with two eyes."

"Oh boy."
I said.

I strongly believe that you should, at any given point, be within a ten-foot radius of at least one book and a music playback device. Preferably something with a speaker.

Kick out the jams. 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING:

Children in backseat making music demands.

#1: Can you please turn M.I.A up?

#2: Louder! Louder! Turn M.I.A. up louder...please.