The Danger of Acorns...

I am a bit behind, folks.  I have been swamped with patients, setting up a new office (more details to come), dealing with some family challenges, etc.  I owe my readers some more tips on separation anxiety and they are coming....I promise!

In the interim, I wanted to share a funny/not so funny story about how adults breed anxiety in kids.  

Yesterday, I was doing lunch duty at my kids' elementary school.  The cafeteria lady somehow got the attention of the roomful of 1st graders.  She held up a perfectly formed acorn.  She said, "Children, these are not to come in the school."  I was okay with that.  Our school is immaculately clean and I am all for keeping outside things outside.  She continued, "These are called acorns, children.  They are VERY DANGEROUS."  

She went on to tell the kids how they could choke on acorns, how acorns could be used as weapons if thrown in another's child's eye, how acorns have sharp edges, and how acorns are dirty because squirrels put them in their mouths.  

Guess what, folks?  The only danger of this lecture was imparting anxiety in children.  

At dinner last night, I told my kids that they must follow school rules -- but that at home, they are welcome to play with acorns as much as they would like.  My daughter pointed out that they make lovely fairy hats.  My son decided it might be nice to collect some and put them far from the house so the squirrels would have an easier time stocking up for the winter, but not make a mess of our patio.  Sadly, I am sure some kids left the lunch room yesterday believing in the message that had been shared and thus missing out on a fun part of autumn!

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