A month or two ago we took Erel to Battersea Zoo, where (predictably) his favorite animals were the squirrel-monkeys. A few weeks later, he started insisting that there are monkeys in our local park. As we stroll through the park, he points up into certain trees an announces "monkey!" At home, he points out the window towards the park and declares "monkey!"

I humored him, agreeing that it's possible there are monkeys running loose in the park, and kept my reservations to myself. The concept has a certain appeal.

The question was settled last week when I was pushing him throught the park in a stroller. He pointed and shouted "monkey!" yet again, and I saw he was pointing at a squirrel.

I haven't been able to disabuse him of his belief that squirrels are a type of monkey. I'm not completely sure I want to.