Smorgasbord Penn

Penn wants to do everything. He wants to be a soccer player and a mountain biker and a rock climber and a skateboarder and a speed skater. He wants to be a scientist and a math maniac and a K-9 Policeman. He wants to take fencing and hip hop dancing. He wants to play the trumpet and he wants to be in a rock band. He wants to play football with his friends all day and the game Minecraft all evening. He wants to be the best at whatever he does and thankfully it is in a healthy competitive way. He's a good sport.

I grew up in a small town where activities were limited to All-American past times, most of which I didn't care anything about. And for each extracurricular there was only one place to participate. I always wanted more.

So I love big cities. It's part of giving my kids something that I didn't have. In a big city Penn can dream up any interest and I can find several places to choose from to investigate his interest. There are free shows and museums and skate parks and programs all over the place to see something new.  There's so much good food in a city. Really good, fresh food and it's everywhere. And there are so many different kinds of people around all the time that come in so many different shapes, colors, sizes and languages that Penn will never stumble over a cultural difference.

Some day Penn will specialize in something specific. He will pick a hobby or two to put his time into and he will choose a field to major in. Until then, I am really enjoying the smorgasbord of interests and his limitless view of his capabilities.  I'm not interested in nurturing a better soccer player or a better skate boarder. I'm interested in nurturing Penn to be the kind of person who finds things to enjoy and is always working to improve. I think these traits build the self-esteem of a happy person.

I want to raise happy people.