Our county parks are the best, I think.

The first grade field trip was to the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center in Howell. Not far away. I chaperoned and rode the bus.

It was a guided tour which began with a lecture on Jersey wildlife. Since I was able to answer the guide's questions and anticipate his remarks, my son thought that I was a mind reader. No, but I am able to follow a presentation on nature geared towards an audience of six-year-olds!

Kenny was especially impressed when, after showing us a box turtle kept in one animal-handling container, I guessed accurately that the second container held a snake! A kingsnake, in fact, whatever that is.

Actually, Kenny has quite a reputation of his own among his classmates. A few times, the presenter wanted a show-of-hands in answer to his questions and one student announced that he watches how Kenny votes and then does the same! I was surprised myself with his answers. Sure, I live with him and he says some incredible things but I just figured he would be shy in public. Well, he watches the Science Channel every chance he gets, so some of it is obviously sinking in.

His teacher embarrassed me during the nature hike segment of the tour by asking me where Kenny gets his interest in science.

"Does he get that from you?" she asked, quite naively.

"No, no, of course not. He must get it from his father."

My areas of interest and specialty fall well outside the traditional educational curriculum, that's for sure.

Kenny was the "line leader" at school this week, an assignment that carried over to the field trip. His teacher commented on that to me and I said, "Well, one way or another, he would be at the head of the line!" I half-expected to see him warmly grab the hand of the field guide as we walked through the woods; he was a grandfatherly fellow.

The place was deserted ... but completely!

We lunched in the empty Visitor Center. I picked up a brochure on the park, unintentionally inspiring most of the kids to do likewise. One girl picked up literature for a park in Middletown and I thought, "Boy, is her mother going to be confused when she comes home with that! 'Where did you go today?!'"

Kenny's teacher was not pleased that the children helped themselves to pamphlets "intended for grown-ups."

Yet, on the bus ride back to school, they all sat there and read the material, discussed the maps and pictures and thoroughly relived the trip. Even she had to admit that it wasn't a bad idea! Imagine that!

And since they don't allow group singing on school buses anymore ... for safety reasons ... how can the driver concentrate with all that racket?! ... the kids needed something to occupy them.

I tell ya, I couldn't be a kid today. Growing up, we kids rode in the back of my father's pick-up truck for miles along state highways, we climbed trees (hanging upside down from the branches!), we played ball in the street and stayed out all hours. My parents would be in prison today.