6 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

You were so excited all last week to know that your best friend, Duncan, was going to be coming over to our house on Saturday morning. Now that fall soccer season is over, this made the first weekend in which you wouldn’t be seeing each other.

But for two hours, the two of you got hang out and just do whatever you wanted to.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, you were noticeably much calmer and self-contained with him over. Instead of two nearly 7-year olds running around crazy in the living room, the two of you spent most of the time having what I am calling a “Pokemon Card Business Meeting.”

It looked, and sounded, quite serious. You both brought out your huge Pokemon card binders and committed to what seemed to me as a never-ended business meeting.

As you both traded and bartered, I kept hearing stats that I couldn’t keep up worth, as I heard these strangely named Pokemon characters and how much damage each one does, and whether it’s an EX or not…

I am convinced the two of you had so much fun. But I have to say, it looked all business to me!

These days, I recognize it’s often a challenge for you to figure out what to do when you’re at home; as the temptation to play with your sister, even if she is already occupied, is always there. It feels like a daily occurrence that I have to say, “Jack, find something to do before I assign you some mandatory fun myself…”

With Duncan over at our house, I never said that once.

If Duncan is the kind of company you keep, and that is the kind of activity you choose to do, I say, hey… Let’s have Duncan over more often!

Love,

Daddy