Jack and Frost

Our little teaching moment came today in the morning frost.

The windshield was all frosted over when we got in the car to go to school. Jack was confused, “Is it snow, Mommy?” I explained that it was like snow– because it’s cold and icy– but that it’s frost. All the way to school we talked about dew and wet morning grass and how, when it gets cold enough the dew gets icy and that’s frost.

Jack nodded and I think he understood a little of it.

Then– on the way into the school building we walked through the thick leaves. (I’m bad at leaf shapes but I think it is oak leaves that we wade through every day. They are deep enough that they nearly come to Jack’s knees when he shuffles.) I realized that the frost had melted off the leaves where the sun shone– but in the shadows they still glistened and sparkled.

“Jack! Look!”

I showed him a shimmering, silvery leaf. It was beautiful. All the delicate veins were visible. Jack marveled at it then gingerly reached out to touch it with his finger. The spot he touched instantly melted, of course, and his mouth was a perfect little o! in understanding.

I’m glad there is still a lot for him to figure out. For us to figure out.