Parents evening

I don't really know how they're getting on - when I ask how their day at school was, they grunt and demand something to eat, or reply "Fine!" - keen to get on with the Playmobil.

We do the homework under duress, it is mostly done without tears these days but never without some kind of breakdown or negotiation. They seem to be doing okay, they sometimes get their spellings correct, or tell me about a house point, or a song they have learnt. I know they enjoy school but I look forward to the parents evening, eager for a nugget of information about the children, hoping to hear stories of brilliance, kindness, good behaviour and above average scores.

Of course that is not the case.

I came out of my allotted ten minutes feeling a bit flat, one child doesn't try at all and gets above average scores and the other tries her very best, scores very highly in the kindness stakes but is below average in her school work.

It only took the journey home to sort it out in my head, they both like going to school and learning, they are happy well adjusted children, not every child can be at the top - and what relevance does it have in life anyway.

I mentioned to P that the teacher would like her to try harder and she replied that she doesn't try hard because the books are boring (fair point) and she doesn't want to be on the brainy table because their spellings are too hard. Another fair point my P, your savviness will get you far.