And a little child shall lead them.

So, at church I teach Primary. For you non-Mormons, that's Sunday School for the kids under 12. I teach the 6 and 7 year olds.

Today our lesson was about obeying laws and rules.

Part of the lesson said to show animals (toys or pictures or whatever), and then put a fence around them and explain that the fence keeps the animals safe, just like rules keep us safe. And here's the conversation that ensued:

Me: What would happen if the animals didn't have a fence around them?

Kid 1: They'd wander off into the woods or the fields.

Me: Right! So, it's safer for them to be in the fence, where they can be cared for.

Kid 2: But it's better for animals to be wild. That's why you're not supposed to feed the ducks and fish at Dunbar Cave [a small cave and park in our town] or keep baby animals you find as pets. They forget how to take care of themselves if you keep them in a fence or a cage and you give them everything they need.

Kid 1: Yeah! And the animals inside the fence are going to get killed for food, or have their fur cut off or get milked or get ridden around on. If I was an animal I wouldn't like that. So, I think they're safer without the fence. That way they can go hide out.

Kid 3: I wouldn't want to live inside a fence like an animal. They never get to see all the other stuff in the world. What if there were no flowers near the fence? Or the ocean? That would mean they would never get to see flowers or the ocean. Ever! That would be so sad.

Kid 4: Yeah, I think fences are bad.

Kid 2: If fences are bad and fences are like our laws, then our laws are bad!

Me: Who wants Smarties?!