The Boys Love Pokémon

Calfgrit8’s Pokémon collection has grown a great deal; he’s got well over 100 cards now (not counting basic energy cards). Even Calfgrit4 has upwards of maybe 50 cards (not counting basic energy cards). We haven’t played the game in a long time, but the boys just absolutely love these cards.

Cowgrit bought them both a special book with pages of plastic sleeves for storing their cards (2 books for CG8, 1 for CG4), and this convenience has proven quite exciting for the boys. They carry their books of cards with them just about everywhere. When we don’t let them carry a book into a store or restaurant, they search through the pages and select the two or ten cards they want to carry in their pockets.

It’s rare that they don’t have at least one Pokémon card in their hand or in a pocket where ever we go. When we went to the park the other day, they had a few, and I and their nana ended up holding the cards for them while they played in the sand and water, so the cards wouldn’t get messed up.

It’s a joy to see the boys engrossed and enamored with these simple cards. At various times during a given day, one or both of the boys will have their books open in front of them just looking through the cards. They’ll pick a card, pull it out of the page sleeve, and place it on the floor next to them. Then they’ll go through the book some more, pick another card, pull it out, and place it on the floor next to them. They’ll do this several times until they have a dozen cards spread out beside them.

Then they’ll play with them in a quiet way that that just warms my heart to see. Usually, CG4 will have club meetings between his creatures — he’ll speak to and for the various critters. Occasionally, CG8 will have minor battles between the creatures.

I guess this is the boy equivalent of a girl having a tea party with her dolls. CG4’s play is more socializing between the pocket monsters, but CG8’s play is more an analysis of the creatures’ abilities — he can quote each Pokemon’s hit points, damage numbers, and resistances and vulnerabilities.

To CG4, there’s no better or lesser Pokémon — there’s just the ones he likes the looks of more than others. To CG8, higher game numbers make a Pokémon better than those with lower numbers — even though he doesn’t play the game with the cards.

It’s such a simple joy for me to watch them sitting around playing with their cards. It’s the kind of thing that just warms the cockles of my heart. No matter how busy or crazy or tiring a day has been, watching them quietly play on the floor with those Pokémon cards can ease my mind like few other things can. It’s their way of showing that all is well in their world. And that, of course, says that things can’t be too bad in my world.

Bullgrit