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When Noah was three, I arrived to pick him up from preschool one afternoon only to be met by the family worker. She had been standing around his classroom waiting for me so she could share this story. Apparently, earlier that day, she had gone in the classroom and was playing a pretend game with the kids. She arranged some chairs in a line and announced that she was driving a bus to the zoo and if anyone wanted to ride along to the zoo, they should get in. Some children sat in the chairs- including Noah- and went along for the pretend ride.
As they were "driving" she was encouraging their imaginations by asking them to discuss what they might see outside or talk about where they were going. Noah interrupted to inquire as to which zoo they would be visiting.
"Umm, Philadelphia. Yes, the Philadelphia Zoo.", the family worker responded. He was satisfied with that answer and continued his imaginary ride in silence. The family worker continued her running commentary on their trip and once again Noah interrupted to ask:
"Are we taking the Ben Franklin or the Walt Whitman [bridge]?"
"Well, I guess we are taking the..."
"...because I want to take the Walt Whitman Bridge!"
" Okay, Noah, we are taking the Walt Whitman Bridge."
I am sure at this point, she was sorry she had embarked on this little trip with Miss Daisy in the backseat bossing her around, but God bless her, she continued nonetheless.
Family Worker: " Now, we are driving over the Walt Whitman Bridge, everyone look out the window and tell me what you see." (hoping to hear them talk about the water, boats, the city or even the zoo)
No one got to answer because Noah interjected, " IKEA! I see IKEA!! Can we go there instead?"
He was right, you can see IKEA from the Walt Whitman Bridge and he totally hijacked the imaginary bus of three-year-olds heading on their imaginary field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo.
Because, you know, Swedish flat-packed furniture and meatballs are WAY more important and interesting than stupid animals.
Priorities.
