1 Mother 2 Another

Yesterday Cora and I drove past a
neighborhood Montessori school housed in a fanciful building
replete with towers and royal-like flags.


“Mommy,” Cora said, “That building looks like a
castle, but it’s not a castle. It’s really a
children’s school.”


Thinking she’d heard this from another grown-up on some
previous drive past the spot, but wanting to keep the conversation
that she’d started going, I said, “What makes you say
that?”


“Well, castles are where kings and queens live. And we
don’t have any kings and queens here because this is America
and we are ruled by a president instead. So it can’t be a
real castle.”

Nonplussed, I couldn’t resist one
more question. “Ok, so you’ve figured out it’s
not a real castle. How do you know it’s a children’s
school?”


“Because,” Cora said patiently, “first, there are
a lot of cars outside it like at my old school. And every grown-up
that comes out of the building has a kid with her. And finally, in
the back there’s a playground and if it was a kid
doctor’s place it wouldn’t have a playground
outside.”


And she sat back, satisfied.


And I was reminded yet again that I often don’t give my
children enough credit for deductive reasoning.