Daniel does pretty good with his French, but sometimes, as new vocabulary is introduced, it’s like he’s been thrown a curve ball.  He came home from school Monday night upset and very adamant that he wasn’t going to go to school on Tuesday.  They were going on a field trip - and he did NOT want to go. 

Daniel loves school and he LOVES going on all the field trips… but this time he seemed kind of scared!  A bit baffled, I asked him what the problem was. 

Daniel: But my teacher said we were going inside the Planet!!
Me: Inside the Planet? Which planet?
Daniel: This planet!  We’re going inside the earth!  She said we were going to climb down into a huge hole that the men dug.... and I am too scared to go!!  I’m NOT goin’!!
Me:  Well, your teacher has never taken you anywhere bad before, has she?
Daniel: Um… no… but there might be spiders and monsters there!
Me: You’re not scared of spiders!  And you know monsters don’t exist!  Infact you always kill the spiders for your sisters!
Daniel: But there might be a giant one like in Lord of the Rings!!!
Me: Ha!  Maybe you were too little to watch that!
Daniel: No I wasn’t!!

So this went on all Monday evening.  I searched for a note from the school to see where they were going, but the notes don’t always make it home with Dan.... Nada.  Tuesday morning he was in tears:

Daniel: But she said I had to wear a hard hat with a light on it… and I don’t have one of those! AND my tummy is sore… AND my head hurts… AND....

We ended up calling one of his best friends, whose mom told me they were going to visit a coal mine, he needed to wear navy blue (for some reason??) and he didn’t need a hard hat!  Dan talked to his little buddy and within seconds the was excited about going.

I’ve had a hard time getting him to piece the day together for me, but he came back very happy, with very dirty hands and face. 

So help me out - Alison?  Anyone?  What would his teacher have told him in French to make him so afraid?  Or was it just his little brain trying to translate an unknown image?