Max and I were working on an assignment for his writing class.  He was supposed to write down his three favorite subjects in order.

First came a conversation about what a subject is.

“It’s something you study.  What do you like to study?”

“Hmmmm . . . ” He leaned against the couch and scrunched up his face in thought. “Like . . . the earth? I llike to study that!”

“What about the earth?  Maps and places or rocks and how it works?”

“Umm . . . both.  But fossils and rocks and cave and crystals?  What’s that called?”

“Geology.”

“Right.  Geology is my favorite subject.”

“Okay.  If you weren’t able to study geology what would you want to study?”

“The air?” He raised one eyebrow.

What?  The air?  I wondered if it was okay to have my 1st grader write “Atmospheric Science” for a favorite subject.  I tried to redirect.

“Weeeeell . . . what about history?  Or the saints? Or holiness?”

“Mm-hmm, it’s something like holiness that is my favorite.”

“What?”

His eyes got round, his voice passionate: 

“Weapons of Righteousness!”

We shared a high-five for homeschooling and I made a mental note that this is yet another way you know a kid is homeschooled. You know, if their favorite subject includes the word “righteousness.”