Directory, I got the notion to count the number of words, and, with help from my calculator, I came up with somewhat less than 24,000 words.
Children are a bit like words.
Words are made up of letters and form unique meanings. The building block of this process is the individual word, which must be spelled correctly, acknowledged, understood, and used properly within its unique meaning and its context within the whole. Likewise, children are made up of a diversity of traits which fuse into unique beings. Alone, they are rich with meaning, but in the heritage and traditions of their families, they develop nuance and character. Their families, in turn, join neighborhoods which evolve into a myriad of customs and culture.