Working with children, you're privy to some of their conversations. Overheard snippets as you walk past or sit next to them. Even the very young children somehow seem to be able to effectively communicate with each other. To me, it just sounds like random noises and baby babble, but they just know. 

On Wednesday I was partially privy to such a conversation when I walked down the other end of the playground to defuse a squirmish that had broken out, over a bike. As I walked past I heard one boy say "I don't like that girl's pink shoes. It doesn't go with her outfit." 

Oh, okay, I thought, we have a young fashion prodigy on our hands. A fashion expert. 

This was not the first time I had heard that particular boy comment on matters of fashion. The week before he had popped up from over the fence and was watching me play in the sandpit with the babies when he asked me about my choice of clothing. 

"Why do you have bare feet?" he asked. 

"Because I have bruises and blisters on my feet," I told him. Fortunately now in NZ, it is spring and we are already experiencing summer temperatures, so, me having bare feet was not at the peril of my body temperature. It was a lovely day. 

"Why do you have bruises on your feet?" he continued in his quest for answers. 

"Because over the weekend I was wearing a new pair of high heels and they rubbed my feet. Why do you have bare feet? Were you wearing high heels?" I asked, teasing him. 

"No," he answered defiantly. "Because I know that high shoes are bad for you." And then he walked away. What a smart-arse. I was so proud. 

A few days after the high heels incident, he was back with more questions for me. This time focusing on my makeup. 

"Why are your eyebrows that colour?" he asked. 

"My eyebrows are the same colour as my hair. You see, my hair is naturally dark brown, so that means my eyebrows are dark," I explained. I then lowered my head slightly and showed him my middle part, and where my hair was darkest. "See, that is my natural hair colour, just like my eyebrows."

"You have glitter in your hair," he stated. 

"Yes, I know. It's from the art I was doing earlier with the babies."

"It doesn't go," he said. 

It doesn't go? I thought confused. Did he just sass me? I think he did. Again, I was so proud.