It comes as a surprise when your child develops a skill she has not hitherto demonstrated. You know your child will grow into an adult and that along the way she will do new things but, nonetheless, when they present themselves they still impress.
Sadly for Mavis, when it comes to a sense of humour, she has as her examples Whizz and I. Still, when she says something witty, it makes us laugh.
Over the Christmas period Mavis has been going to bed later and later. Occasionally I have half-heartedly suggested that we try to ease in to school by bringing bedtime nearer to normal but when the time comes, I have become engrossed in a book or other project and her official bedtime has passed. This results in a sudden urgency to get her to bed, thwarted by her own inimitable tactics: I feel sick. I’m hungry, I … am… going… as… um… er… fa-a-a-st… as… I… can, and so on.
On this particular occasion Mavis was offered the opportunity to join us watching a film or to go to bed before it started and read a book for a while. She was not that keen on the proposed film but was torn between it and the unwelcome prospect of an early night. ‘We-e-ll,’ she pronounced, ‘I wouldn’t mind watching part of the film.’
‘Which part?’ demanded Whizz.
After a slight pause, she grinned and announced, ‘The end part.’