Michael’s dad came into school with him today. He wanted to see the playground where Michael had chipped his tooth. Michael and I took him outside, and Michael showed him the spot where he had hit the pole. Michael’s dad asked me if there had been other toys out on the playground that day that might have caused Michael to trip. Hmmm. That was an interesting question that sounded very much like a fishing expedition. However, I could answer him without reservation, “No. Balls and other toys aren’t allowed in the area around the jungle gym.” I then showed him the basketball court where the balls are kept, a good 20 yards away from the jungle gym across an open grassy yard. The riding toys and shovels and buckets are even farther away in a sand pit at the other end of the yard, about 50 yards away.
“No, Dad,” Michael interrupted. “I told you. There wasn’t anything that tripped me. There wasn’t anything on the wood chips. I just let go of the bar and fell.”
Michael’s dad seemed satisfied, and we all went inside where he thanked me and left Michael and me at the classroom door.