I'm raising a male Martha Stewart

The other day, when I was grocery shopping with the kids, I spotted the October issue of Martha Stewart Living on the newsstand. And even though I had every intention of purchasing the magazine, I still asked the boys if I should buy the “Halloween magazine.” Simon (age 6.75) thought it was a fantastic idea. He also noticed that this wasn’t the only Halloween-themed magazine on the rack and started scooping up issues from Better Homes and Gardens and other women’s magazines.

He is so excited about Halloween, planning the decorations, costumes, and food. I love that he's into holidays! It's not surprising, since he's demonstrated an ease for party planning and always knows just how to accessorize an event. And, he can navigate the Party Warehouse like no one I know.

Simon is also comfortable in the kitchen. Last weekend he learned how to use the KitchenAid stand mixer, testing all the speeds and working the tilt head. He can make pancakes (and, he can tell you the ingredients and steps involved if you ask) and muffins.

But, his signature dish is scrambled eggs. He carefully breaks the eggs into a bowl and whisks them until they are blended. Then, he adds salt and pepper, and grates cheese into the bowl. After he gives the beaten eggs another stir, he asks me or John to light the stove. Simon adds butter to the pan, which we've placed on the flame; then he stirs and fusses the eggs into a soft, wet, lemony-yellow curd. Perfection. He's far more patient with the eggs than I could ever hope to be. Julia Child would be so proud.

Needless to say, cooking calms Simon, especially when he is in the throes of despair. Yes, I know he's only almost-seven years old, but he does suffer a younger brother. Sigh.

Not long ago, I asked Simon what he wanted to learn to cook next. I'm happy to report that the kid has goals. He’d like to learn how to cook all the kinds of eggs. Since he has mastered scrambled eggs, he'd like to move on to hard-boiled. Then, he said he'd like to learn how to make "all the cookies." Sure, I can help him with that—no problem.