"A Smart Dude"

Tonight, we had a parent-teacher conference with Joe's teacher, Mr. Mark.  Those who know Our Hero well will perhaps not be surprised to learn that he knows all his letters and the sounds that most of them make (H and Q are hard) and can recognize patterns, colors, shapes, and the numbers 1 to 10.  But did you know that Joe rocks a pair of scissors?  Well, he does.  Apparently, the powers that be at the KinderCare put smiley faces on top of the kids' thumbs and it's thumbs up time to see the smiley faces when the kids are cutting with scissors.

Fans, frankly, we didn't learn anything we didn't already know: Joe likes to learn, he's kind, and he's easily influenced.  So the bad news--for now--is that he doesn't always think for himself.  It's not so much that he sometimes makes bad choices, it's that he doesn't often make his own choices.  Fans, we have a follower!  This, we knew.  The good news is "he's a smart dude," and so hopefully, he'll come more and more to think for himself and not follow when someone else is climbing up the slide today and bashing in mailboxes with a bat tomorrow.  Joe is also, apparently, friendly with everyone.  He's got some really good buddies, but he plays with all the other kids, even those who don't necessarily have their own little pack.  And so, there's one choice right there that seems to be his own, and it's solid.