[Roa_Aoife]

I assign a moment at school to Orthanc. (Can I assign a moment?)

Allow me to elaborate *ahem* :

Girl A and Girl B are playing on the see-saw. Girl C wants Girl A's seat, so she tells the teachers that she was there first. We, the teachers don't buy it, since Girl C is known for such behavior, and had she truly been there first, Girl A would be sitting in her lap. (Girl A is about half the size of Girl C, so it's unlikely Girl C was forced out.)

Foiled, Girl C resorts to her next idea. She calls Girl B and convinces her to get off the see-saw to another part of the playground. Girl A, who was playing with Girl B, gets up to follow them. As soon as Girl A has moved, Girl C rushes back and takes her spot on the see-saw, and Girl B, not really caring who she plays with, gets back on as well.

On the one hand, that was a dirty trick. On the other hand, it was an impressive display of cunning and problem solving from a four year old.

And of course, we teachers were struggling between amusement and shock at the sheer brass of it all, and deciding how best to explain the word "manipulation" and why it's wrong.