Know-it-all

"Which is the only planet that hasn't been visited by spacecraft?"

No, Isaac isn't an astronomy prodigy. We went to a party yesterday where we met a talkative boy of about seven years of age, and he was the one who was interested in outer space. I found him irritating, especially because his space-fact recitations tapped into fears about Isaac that I didn't even know I had.

I didn't know the answer to his question about the planets, but my fellow party guest was more than happy to inform me that it was Pluto.

"I thought Pluto wasn't a planet any more," I said with more satisfaction than was appropriate.

He looked stricken and mumbled, "This was from before they decided it wasn't a planet."

Later I recounted this interaction to the boy's father (a scientist, by the way), and he told me that they have a talking toy that recites facts about the solar system, and it does predate 2006, when Pluto was demoted to "dwarf planet." He told me that the previous day his son had played with the toy for two hours straight, which begins to explain why his party conversation was mostly comprised of facts about outer space.

But "conversation" isn't the right word. Several times I tried to discuss outer space with the boy, but he didn't want a dialog -- he was more interested in lecturing me while I nodded politely. I don't think he was autistic, either. I think he was a know-it-all.

I recognize this because, as they say, it takes one to know one. I'm not sure I was the type of child who cornered strange adults at parties and overwhelmed them with a recitation of facts -- I think I was too shy, and more likely to just bring a book. But something about this boy's behavior seemed chillingly familiar. Perhaps I am only a know-it-all with people I already know?

- - - - -

Isaac has picked up several of my more pedantic expressions, which makes me afraid that he could be heading into the same know-it-all territory:

• Actually ...
• In fact ...
• You know ...

Because we recognize it as a problem in our own lives, maybe Craig and I can provide Isaac with social skills coaching if we see him turning out to be an irritating know-it-all. The problem is that we may be blinded by love -- everything Isaac says is fascinating to us.
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