Exams, revision and aspersions

My mother always said that girls are sly and boys are straightforward.  As the only girl amongst her four children, I still wonder what I must have done. 

But maybe this is why when Daniel asks me to help him devise a revision timetable for his GCSEs, I have a brief moment of euphoria before trying to work out his ulterior motive.

So far, the possibilities I’ve come up with in descending likelihood are:

• He knows it will take me ages to get round to it, and he won’t need to start because I haven’t done it
• He’s telling me what I want to hear so that I’ll leave him alone
• If he stuffs up his exams, he can blame my revision plan
• It’s a way of getting out of other chores
• The Father Christmas theory – believe and you’ll be rewarded.  Or in this case, have a timetable and you’ll be okay
• He’s responsible and hard working and wants to do well

See, sly: unable to take things at face value. 

I keep telling him that I don’t care how he does, as long as he’s done his best.  This is also underhand and of course a lie.  You see he has the mixed blessing of being academic, so if his results tumble down the alphabet, I know he hasn’t worked. 

I’m not a total ogre though and I’ve given him a Get Out of Jail Free card for RE.  He’s hated religious studies since he was six when he announced that in order of probability it was:

1.                  Father Christmas

2.                  The Tooth Fairy

3.                  Jesus Christ. 

Unfortunately, even when FC and The TF slipped from his radar, JC’s ranking never rose.

So now that he’s wiped out any chance of divine help, I guess it’s down to him.  Which reminds me, I must do that timetable tomorrow.