If the conversation can be turned towards fish, it will be.

An interview with Rowan, age four, which was going to be about what she thinks about being home educated and ended up being mostly about sea creatures and birthdays.

Me: So, it's your birthday soon?
Rowan: Yep, four days!
Me: Are you going to be four?
Rowan: NOoo, FIVE! I'm four right now.
Me: What does that mean?
Rowan: It means, I don't know. It's just a counting-years thingy.
Me: Years since what?
Rowan: Since I was borned. I've been here for five nearly-five years.
Me: You've been round the sun almost five times on this earth.
Rowan: With you! Round and round with you, Mumma.
Me: Yup. What will you do when you're five?
Rowan: Have a birthday cake with sea pigs on. I love sea pigs. They're like funny little pink slugs. You're going to make a hundred of them for my birthday, won't you?
Me: Maybe.... Will you go to school when you're five?
Rowan: No. School is scary.
Me: Whaaat? Why is school scary?
Rowan: I don't know. Not scary *really* just weird for me. I like to just play and play and play.
Me: Oookay... What do you play?
Rowan: Everything. Scooby Doo, and ponies, and making houses in the garden with the big heavy stage [a pallet], and lots of running around games. Sometimes I play Poisson Rouge. I like painting and looking at books and being with you.
Me: What do you learn at home when you're playing?
Rowan: I don't know. I learned how to write Morgan's name now. It's good being big because I can do lots of words now. I like to hear stories and watch Spongebob and hear about sea creatures. I'm going to learn all the different starfish.
Me: You're going to *learn* them all?
Rowan: Yes, I'm going to know all the different kinds soon. I'm going to hold one, too, at the Sealife centre for my birthday.
Me: Oh are you? What else will be there?
Rowan: Sharks in the big tunnel, but sharks are scary, except if you put a bow on its head like a big pink frilly one, then it would just be silly and funny. I might see a Nemo too, a clown fish? I like clown fish.