When alpha parenting isn't enough

I usually take Finn to zoo Friday mornings. They have a "zoo camp" for preschoolers where they get to talk about animals, do some art projects and walk around the zoo for a bit with one of the carers. If you're of my ilk, it's cute, innocent and age appropriate, until a three year old Pete start to recite all the animals he knew that started with the letter "N", first in English, then in Spanish, for good measure. I look confused at Finn and ask him quietly if he knows any animals that begin with "N". He thinks for a very long time and then says:
- I know! Mummy! And giraffe.

The teacher holds up a picture with a funny looking sea creature with a long unicorn-like horn sticking out from the head and asks the class if anyone knows what it is. The name is on the whiteboard in front of us and I can hear Pete's mother whisper the name to Pete. I start to whisper to Finn too.
- It's a narwahl, shouts the little boy.
I still whisper the name to Finn, desperately trying to get him to be a close two.
- Narwahl. N-a-r-w-a-h-l.
I don't even know if I pronounce it correctly.
- What, mummy? says Finn. Norball?
The rest of the group are busy listening to Pete telling the teacher that the narwahl's horn is a really long tooth. His mother is beaming.
- We read up on it last night, she says to anyone who wants to listen.
They must have studied narwahls right about the same time as Finn was busy stuffing Lego pieces in the air vent and wipe his nose on Holly's arm.

After circle time we walk over to the arts and crafts table while Pete loudly share all things alphabet and zoo related with the rest of us.
Finn grabs a piece of paper and a crayon and starts drawing.
- Look, he says. I made a "norball".

I take a look. You don't have to try very hard to imagine the oval circle as the body, and the long line replacing the nose as the long tooth and with two round eyes to match.
- You made a narwahl, I acknowledge, possibly a little louder than necessary. The teacher comes over. She compliments Finn on his beautiful narwahl. Pete's mother leans over the table and pulls it out of my hand.
- Oh yeah, look honey - let's see if you can do a narwahl too.
Pete is whining because he's tired.
- I don't wann'u, he cries and kick his mothers chair.
The mother fake-smiles.
- It's OK honey. We can draw one at home and bring it in next time.
And then she turns to the teacher:
- What animal are we learning about next week?

Finn is pillow fighting and is not at all interested in narwahls any more.