This weekend, Anton was heading to a friend’s birthday party, so we stopped by the toy store. He scoured the shelves for a few minutes until he spotted the obvious choice…

These spy glasses. Each lens has a rearview mirror, so you can see both forward and backward. We tested them out by my standing behind him and holding up a certain number of fingers. “Three,” he said. “Five, easy.” Then a pause. “Zero, nice try.”

Anton asked if he could get a pair, too, since, after all, that would be more fun for his friend. I acquiesced, and here we are on Monday morning, when he wore them, Risky Business-style, to school. His plan? To channel Jack Donaghy, but get it right:

Thoughts? What funny little things are your kids into these days? Here are three more great birthday presents: magic thumbs, a wonderful book, and guest checks.

P.S. What has surprised me about preteens, and how old are the kids in your life?