Nothing can give you a little taste of how we roll at my house like hearing it from our own lips. This is an actual conversation I had with my wife. Anyway, it the actual gist of a conversation we had. We had to let go the stenographer during the latest economic downturn.

Wife: I just called and got some information from the Montessori preschool.

Me: What do they do at Montessori school different from regular school?

Wife: The lady said it’s more of a hands-on experience. For example, they let them wash dishes themselves, instead of just telling them about how to wash dishes.

Me: They teach them to wash dishes?

Wife: Well, that’s just an example she gave.

Me: Washing dishes is what he’ll learn to do when he drops out of school.

Wife: It’s just an example.

Me: It’s called “on-the-job training.” He doesn’t need to learn that in school.

Wife: Honey, it’s just an example.

Me: People pay big money for them to teach toddlers how to wash dishes?

Wife: They do academics, too.

Me: Too? I want them to do academics, period.

Wife: You wash dishes. Don’t you think that makes you a more well-rounded person?

Me: I didn’t go to school for it. I learned to wash dishes when my mother parked my ass in front of the kitchen sink and dared me to take one step before the plates were clean.

Wife: Well, I don’t see you teaching him how to wash dishes.

Me: I will, when he can reach the sink.

Wife: The Montessori school has kid-sized sinks.

Me: Oh.

Education: You're soaking in it.