A Proud Dad

Just a quick post to recognise a couple of awesome things my kids have done. I’m proud of them all the time anyway, and think they’re brilliant. Who doesn’t, I guess? It’s magic how we ignore the macro picture and focus in on the achievements of those we love and amplify them. Clearly irrational. But magic all the same.

My eldest managed to get to stage 5 in swimming. Objectively, lots of children have done that. Lots have probably managed it earlier than him. But it’s something he’s been working towards for ages. We were debating stopping swimming lessons for him because they’re a hell of a lot of work for my wife and me, and there seemingly wasn’t any progress. And then he did it. He was so so pleased to tell me and you could see how proud he was. Me too. Now, all is forgotten and we’re getting ready to book stage 5 lessons like fools.

My four-year-old confided in me over breakfast that the reception children get to go to a ‘learning room’ and learn things while the nursery children play. She wanted to go and learn things with reception but was too shy to ask the teacher. I asked if she wanted me to do the asking and she nodded enthusiastically.

Today she had her first reception lesson. Apparently the other children shouted that she wasn’t reception and shouldn’t be allowed in, but the teacher said she was allowed because she was interested. And then she did the reception work and was quicker than the reception children. The other kids were impressed (as were the teachers) and she was beaming as she told me. She got to learn, and she got a bunch of kudos.

Again, there are lots of kids that are smart or good at writing or skip years or all sorts of things. But when they’re your children and you’ve seen them work and know their fears and anxieties and what they love and what motivates them…to see them achieve and watch them burst with happiness as they tell you…

Well, it’s a proud couple of days I’ve had and I look forward to many many more.