Career Planning

Our karate school did a demo at a local festival over the weekend. It went okay; nobody died, and the kids were cute (the person who showed the most interest, in fact, was another child.) I managed not to fall off the stage, Gwen did not faint from stage fright, and Xavier's only disappointment was that one of the black belts broke the stand when breaking some bricks, so Xav didn't get a chance to do some brick-breaking himself (for which I am eternally grateful.) All and all, a good time was had by all, but I have to admit that Xavier's interest in becoming a karate teacher has waned now that he has a new dream. Yes, Xavier is now looking at a career in ... chocolate.

Xavier has become obsessed with chocolate. When I was helping him use the bathroom at the neighbor's house the other day, he noticed a Hello Kitty calendar hanging by the potty, commented on how nice it was, then added, "We should get one for our bathroom -- except ours should be a chocolate calendar."

Gwen, our budding paleontologist was remarking at the dinner table tonight that when she grows up, she plans to move "far away -- all the way to the other side of Virginia!" where the dinosaur bones are more plentiful (in her dreams.) Xavier reached for my hand and said, "I don't want to move away -- I want to stay in the family!" (Yes, now we sound like the mob.) Still, you can't help but be touched when a child expresses a sentiment like this, though I don't expect it to persist. "Well, you can live with us if you want to," I said, "As long as you get a job and help provide for yourself."

"Well, of course I am going to get a job, Mommy!" he said with impatient disdain.

"And what do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked.

"I already told you -- I'm going to be a chocolate maker." He looked around at our (admittedly small) tile-top dining room table and added, "I'm going to make chocolate here, in this house, at this table!"

Hmmmm, my self-control is already weak enough without constant temptation ... plus, given Xavier's penchant (or lack thereof) for tidiness, I'm not sure there is room enough in this house for both his blossoming career and his super-tidy father.

Perhaps we should start pushing him back toward a career as a karate instructor.