Suzy Fleming Leonard: Fourth-graders talk about journalism, share favorite restaurants

For the child-free, a morning spent in front of a fourth-grade class can be daunting.

How does one act in front of a 9-year-old? Could they possibly care about anything I'd have to say?

But I'd spoken to my sweet neighbor Cindy Flickinger's class once before, and it went pretty well, so I was game it give it another shot.

My talk was doomed from the start. My arrival coincided with recess, and as Mrs. Flickinger lined her class up to come back inside, I heard one lament: "But it hasn't been 15 minutes yet."

It's a small class, only nine students, so it didn't take them long to get settled in their desks.

"I'm sorry for cutting recess short," I said.

"That's OK," a boy in the front row said. His mischievous smile told me he meant it. I relaxed a little. I realized that, more than anything, I just wanted them to like me.

For the next few minutes, we talked about journalism, and why it's important to get both sides of a story.

We talked about what they did before school that morning, and how if you only talked to one person in the class, you'd come away thinking they all had Pop Tarts for breakfast. (News lesson: It takes more than one point of view to put together the whole story.)

"What's your favorite story you ever wrote?" one asked.

I told them about a story I wrote back in 2005 about what astronauts ate in space. Not sandwiches. Imagine trying to keep two pieces of bread together in zero gravity. And while crumbs falling into your lap at home is no big deal, crumbs floating around a space ship are troublesome.

Astronauts, or so I was told all those years ago, prefer tortillas.

Which led us to a topic that knows no age boundaries: Food.

They were insatiably interested in where and what I eat, but they were just as eager to tell me their favorites.

The Village Bier Garten is great for birthday parties, (though it's not as much fun if you're the only girl).

Beef O' Brady's and Chick-fil-A also got high marks, as did Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar.

They also had some definite opinions when it comes to restaurant behavior. I was pleasantly surprised to learn they don't think it's OK to sit staring into a phone screen during dinner. Not even for parents. Especially not for parents.

People should talk to each other, they said.

As my hour neared its end, I realized I wasn't ready to leave. I wanted to hang out with Mrs. Flickinger and her nine engaging students.

I wanted to repeat fourth-grade.

I came to a conclusion: 9 or 10 just might be the perfect age. It's a time when kids are curious and smart and funny.

They don't yet treat adults with disdain, and, in fact, seem to enjoy conversation with grownups.

Even grownups who cut their recess short.

Email Leonard at sleonard@floridatoday.com.