Once upon a time, I knew nonsense when I saw it. I had no doubts, ifs, nor buts.

Back then nonsense and sense were clearly divided in my mind, even as I understood that what made sense to me might be nonsense to you. And, of course, vice versa. But today we present all kinds of uncommon nonsense as common sense.

We should pity our poor children, for we have failed the basic test of adulthood. Instead of helping the next generation make sense of our world, we’re spin-doctoring what was once worldly into nonsense.

Did you heard the one about the 6-year-old Cub Scout who was so proud of his scout eating utensil that he took it to use at school? He got 45 days in a disciplinary school, all because the practical tool included a little knife.

And then there’s the third grader who was expelled for a year because she brought her birthday cake to school. The problem? Her sensible grandmother had packed a knife to make it easier for the teacher. What did the teacher do? She first cut the cake and then called the principal.

Both were wasted nonsense moments.

You see, nonsense moments are opportunities for teaching and learning. Sadly for the little kids, the people in charge don’t understand that. That’s why they turned the teaching moments into punishment moments.

Nonsense is born when places of learning frown upon common sense. And we perpetuate nonsense when we don’t promote the opposite at work.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.