What price happiness?

What price happiness? A dog, friends, water, freedom – a world far away from eleven plus examinations.


To encourage our ten year old children to pass examinations we need to guide them through papers and examples. We need to talk about timing. We need, occasionally, to have a clock ticking. We need to help our children be aware of the need to rise to the occasion.



The children in the picture above will have different expectations. They will still experience pressure – and they still have to grow up. So who, in the end, will be more fulfilled?


Any one of those boys sitting so happily on the water could have the ability to pass an eleven plus examination. The children just do not have the opportunity.


So the next time your child looks at you a little sideways – smile sweetly. Say ever so quietly and gently: “Look dear, see those happy children. They don´t have to do eleven plus papers, they don´t have to pass examinations. They don´t have to watch T.V., watch DVDs or go to school.


As parents we will support you if you wish us to take the pressure off. All we can say is that you can make a number of choices. If you choose to work hard to pass the examinations, and you pass, and you do well at school, and then go on to university you will be able make even more choices.”


If you choose to go back to meet the boys in the canoe, and land up living their life, we will support you.

Think it over. Let us know your decision later on.”