Friday, February 8, 2013



A question of logic or is it?

Of course when you go to the beach and find a seashell you may pick it up and take it with you. In fact, more often enough, that is why some people go to the beach.

What happens when a seashell is taken to school and is then lost?

A seven year old boy took a seashell he found, while on his family’s summer vacation to school. The class was to use it in an experiment to see what happens when it is placed in the snow that had covered the schoolyard. Naturally, the seashell freezes and sinks deeper and deeper into the snow until it is no longer seen.

Sooner or later the snow melts and the seashell is seen by a seven year old classmate. Knowing who it originally belonged to, he picks it up and brings it inside saying, “I found John’s seashell but it’s mine now.”

Is it? According to the finders keepers losers weepers law, the boy would be right but logic says otherwise.

Do children at this age use logic or do they just want to keep what they find? Their teacher turned this situation into a class discussion asking, “If you know who it belonged to originally, should you return it?” The students were divided in their opinions as to who should get to keep the seashell so she let the two boys talk it out. When she realized they weren’t coming to an agreement she asked, “If I give you a new one, will you give John’s seashell back to him?”

The boy agreed and later that day he was given a new shell and returned the one he found.
The teacher also gave the other students a seashell with the hope that when they looked at it, they’d remember to ask who it belonged to and give back the things they find.


Ask your children what they would do if they found something. Their answer and their reasoning will astound you.