Kids are so Literal

subtitled, "I Saved a Frog Today". I know you are waiting with baited breath to see where I'm going with this one. But I didn't quite realize until this afternoon, outside on the playground, with a new group of students who have only been fourth graders for...oh...three days now. Before that, they were mere third graders, just how literal kids can be. Being in the classroom, I always have to be on my toes; it's never the same, the teacher beside me today had to administer the Heimlich maneuver because a student was choked (yes, turning blue, eyes rolling in the back of his head choking). I merely saved a frog.

Remember when we were little and we were fascinated when we found a live animal on the playground?? And it was the best thing in the whole world?? A little girl found a frog today. A frog who was no bigger around than a quarter....who I'm sure was petrified by his new-found friend. Of course, she had to show her new pet off to her friends. She even let a couple of the friends hold her new treasure. But once I noticed what the commotion was about, I went over and decided that our new little friend would be off if we set him free to enjoy his life as he knew it before his instant stardom. So very calmly, I told her to put the frog down and set him free...thinking she would put him back where she found him, or up near the school building in the grass, or over in the shade under a tree. Silly, silly teacher.

She dropped him...right there. in the middle of the playground. in the woodchips, with five or 3,245 fourth graders standing around ready to pick up the frog and show off their new treasure. Whatever was I thinking?? Luckily I think pretty quickly on my feet. Our future veterinarian picked up her friend from the woodchips and together we carried him off of the playground, over to some big rocks, behind the gym, in the shade...where he actually stands a chance against the fourth graders.