Questioning

I was having dinner with  family friends (a whole family)  this evening, and had this conversation with their 10yr-old

10yr-old (rolls eyes): My class is terribly misbehaved. Everyone screams and rounds around whenever the teacher is not around. Even the monitor is playing

Me: What’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with screaming and running around and playing?

10yr-old (eyes widen): What’s wrong?! Everyone is running all over the place and it’s not the playground

Me: Yes, but why is that wrong?

10yr-old (gives me a *duh* look): You’re supposed to keep quiet and read a book!

Me: But if you don’t like reading? What’s wrong with playing? It’s well & good if you like reading, it’s not wrong to read. But why can’t I play if i want to?

10yr-old (*confused look* pauses to think of an answer): My teacher says we need to keep quiet and not run around

Me: Ah! your teacher says so! How do you know it’s not your teacher who is wrong? What if you’re right and she’s the one who’s wrong?

10yr-old :……
(is in a state of shock as it dawns on him that the teacher might actually be wrong)

Me: Why don’t you go spend the next few months thinking about why it’s wrong, and give me an answer the next time we meet?

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The 10yr-old went off pondering. I don’t think he will ever accept authority unquestioningly ever again.

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Later on our other family members got wind of our little discussion and decided to join in too, while waiting for our family cars to arrive (the 2 dads had gone to drive the cars over).

“So what’s the answer??? why is it wrong??” they asked

Me : I don’t know. Everyone has a different answer, what’s do YOU think?

“The noise will disturb other classes” someone suggested

10yr-old : But it’s 7 30 in the morning, classes haven’t started yet

“There are all the chairs and tables around. You might bum into them and hurt yourself” another person reasoned.

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The cars had arrived. Everyone agreed that seemed like a good reason. Peace and security reigned once again — the teachers are right after all!!

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I wanted to ask one more question but didn’t get a chance to.

I think I’ll ask him the next time we meet.

“So why can’t we just move the chairs and tables away? Why must we sit down & not play?”