Kindred spirits:

My boss’s nine year old daughter is in the office this week while her brother is away at camp. She has made an abandoned cubicle her own, complete with a decorated piece of cardboard as a welcome mat. She is very quiet, and serious, and busy. She has accumulated an enviable assortment of office supplies, and puts them to good use. She buzzes me at my desk to ask me what the words “barrage” and “tirade” mean. We had a long discussion about Lemony Snicket. She admired my Mary-Kate and Ashley screensaver. Yesterday, she wrote a small book titled “All About Dogs,” printed it off, bound it, and placed a copy in everyone’s inbox.

Is there any way I can make sure I have children like this, and not little football players?