Dumb it Down

Disclaimer: I believe every mother is allowed to believe her child is a genius.

Have you ever wondered if Albert Einstein had friends while growing up? I was thinking about it this week. I mean, without exhausting myself by researching it (that will happen later), I have to wonder if his genius hampered his social skills.* How often have I rolled my eyes at someone who constantly corrected me or cut into my conversations with tidbits of knowledge? How often have people rolled their eyes at me for doing the same thing? Why can't I listen to the Sevendust lyric "... fools often sometimes forget..." without throwing up in my mouth a little? I digress.**

My daughter is a know-it-all. I'm not entirely upset about it, because I'd rather she knew it all than knew nothing. Even so, she tends to correct people (everyone, really), at great length, when she thinks (or knows) that a mistake has been made. Are all kids like that? Perhaps. I tend to worry about my own, though.

I've had to pull her aside once or twice and quietly remind her that, while she is right, it's okay to let the other person figure it out for themselves once in a while. After giving me a Look, she shrugs and listens to my advice. The friends play nicely again.

This is where I admit I'm parenting myself in a weird, psychologically complex way. I wanted more friends when I was growing up. I was a know-it-all. People didn't like it. So, by helping Peanut to recognize a glazed-over look on her friends and what to do when she sees it, I feel like I'm helping Little Dee to make friends at last!

Oh, the hurt. Here's where I beat myself up for suffocating Peanut's Tree of Knowledge for the sake of a social life. It feels so wrong to tell my girl to "dumb it down" to avoid rejection. How do I solve such a riddle?

Well, I have to remind myself that it's not my turn to grow up, and it's time to let Peanut have her turn. There are some lessons in life that really don't need to be learned by experience (sex, drugs, hairstyles...). Then there are those that won't hit home unless they're learned in the midst of it all, and I think Making and Keeping Friends is probably one of them.

So, in the hopes that after an awkward childhood Peanut will make friends that share interests and knowledge, I guess it's safe to let her figure out when she'll benefit most from "dumbing it down."

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* I'm not blowing hot air. This is a valid worry. Ha! Told you so.
The "told you so" was cheekiness. If I were on Facebook I'd add "LOL" so you wouldn't get mad at me.

**Anyone else think that "I digress" should really be stated as thus: "I'm digressing?" Anyone? No? Fine.