Speed limit!

Children often come out with the most interesting and often unique interpretation of their environment and interactions with others. Some are in reaction to a specific situation whereas others are often carefully thought of… albeit in the child's own unique way.

While house-hunting in San Jose with my 4-year-old niece, my sister was driving through a rather busy neighborhood that had clearly posted speed limit signs. Having come off the motorway, the drop in speed was sudden and Zaara, who was up until that time watching the trees and cars go by her window, looked at her mum intently. Noticing Zaara's intense stare through the rear view mirror, my sister asked ‘Is everything OK?’. Zaara seemed rather cross and didn't reply the first time round. ‘Is everything OK, Zaara?’, my sister asked a second time. In a slow deliberate tone, Zaara said: ‘Why did you slow down? Go faster’. ‘We can't’, my sister explained, ‘There are speed limits in different areas and we have to follow them’. There was no further discussion and through tours of different houses Zaara seemed busy with her toys and looking around the places they visited.

On returning home, she seemed tired and lost in her thoughts. While slowly chewing on her first spoonful of food, my sister came by with the second spoonful. Zaara was still on her first spoonful and turned her head away. ‘Come on Zaara, you have to finish up and go to bed’, said my sister. Slowly turning her head to face her mum, Zaara replied in a firm tone: ‘I cannot do that mum, there are speed limits!’