Revision - don't you just love it?

Don’t write about the weather they say, but this much sunshine can only mean one thing. 

Exams. 

Jamie’s Do-Well-Or-You-Won’t-Be-Allowed-To-Take-Triple Science exams start tomorrow and Daniel’s Do-Well-Or-You’ll-Be-On-Washing-Up-Duty-For-Life GCSEs start in ten days. 

As you can tell, I am totally relaxed and confident in their outcomes and a lifetime subscriber to the No Pressure philosophy.  No Pressure, Why Bother that is.  It’s not that I’m a pushy parent (despite appearances, honest!) it’s just you need to understand the importance of something to value it yourself.

When I was at school, we’d have visiting speakers shock us with figures for the swathes of rainforest destroyed as we listened.  Whilst they spoke it was devastating; but when they left, they took their message with them and no one mentioned it again.  It’s not that we didn’t care, it’s just when you’re a teenager, seeing the wood from the trees thousands of miles away requires encouragement.

So when Jamie eventually gave in and lowered his head into his Science book for a whole hour – albeit wearing headphones – I was really chuffed.  It’s a while since I’ve seen that much concentration away from the Play Station and I’d like to think it’s because he actually enjoyed it.

The sad thing about school, is that most of the things they teach are interesting.  It’s just that there’s so much and over such a long period that it takes a remarkable teacher to keep children enthralled.  So if it means I need to be interested in the sexual reproduction of a plant, to reinforce what my kids are learning, I should be grateful.

I might not need to know this anymore, but as the hours frittered on Google testify, learning can be fun.