Pushiness of parents

Just had a good conversation with a fellow comrade on the battle field known as the playground. I didn't know I needed this conversation, but it would appear I did.

I have overcome my worries of the eldest child and what book levels / reading group etc etc etc she was in, by disassociating myself from those conversations. (I still smart at remembering the mother who accused me of grading folk, how little she knows me - how little I knew her...) I do love to know when someone's child has done well. But something they have done well FOR THEM and not in comparison to someone else.

But today I was shocked to discover, at least one parent had bought the school reading scheme and is interrogating other mothers about which book their child is on. Oh jees. It doesn't matter what your child is reading, so long as it's pitched right for them, not what their mate is doing. But apparently this is not the case. I have misjudged the world again. It does matter. And that is why my children when they hit P1, become obsessed in what level they are on.

This on top of an army of Mums who have conscripted their offspring to at least one activity after school every day, in order to "create" rounded children. I can't keep up, I confess, physically, financially and any other way you look at it, I cannot do it. And neither can my children, who believe it or not, like to go and play.

So again, I realise in competitive parenting, I fall way short of the expected norm. I'm probably disadvantaging my children. They probably hate me for it! But heck they have to hate me for something :-)

Oh and whilst I am having a moan - sponsored activities. But I guess that is a whole new post!