The power of imagination, and other parenting lessons from Calvin and Hobbes

My then-7-year-old son hurried into snow pants as he eyed the somersaulting flakes outside the window. “Are you going to build a snowman?” I asked him skeptically. Though only a couple of inches covered the ground, I knew from experience that scant accumulation was no obstacle to a determined child.

Otis nodded. “I’m going to cut a big hole in middle of his body. Like he was shot by a cannon. But first,” his voice revved with excitement, “I’m going to build him in the driveway so that when you back the car down, he’ll decapitate!”