Elliot is smart

Can I just do that thing where I talk about how smart my kid is?  Do you mind?  Great.  Thanks for pretending you don’t find this incredibly irritating. 

We were reading a halloween themed book, and he pointed at a spooky castle and said “House.”  I explained to him that it was called a castle, which was like a house but a lot bigger.  I left it at that --- an explanation of the feudal system of governance seemed like it would be beyond both him and me.  

We finished the book and started another.  This was a train book, and on one page the train wound its way through a city.  

Elliot pointed at the skyscrapers.  “Castle,” he said.  

“Oh!  RIght, well, actually --- Yes, that is a really big house, but it’s different than a castle.”  

He looked at me suspiciously.  I realized I would have to be more specific.  

“It doesn’t have turrets.  A castle has turrets, and little spires and cupolas.”

He was skeptical. Should I be learning from this guy?  I plowed on.

“Also castles are made out of stone, and buildings are steel or wood.  Or, well, I guess buildings can be from stone too.  But castles are always really old.  Unless you built a new one, which almost no one does.”

He stared at me.  There was a pause. 

“Read Lowly Worm!”