Eleven Plus on a Rainy Sunday in November

It is Sunday and it is raining. Thoughts of parents and children can turn peacefully towards the eleven plus. After all there is not much else left to do. You tentatively suggest a little eleven plus work. There are smiles all round from the rest of the family. Peace at last. Now who gets to grab the switcher? One lone voice squeaks up: “Do I have to?”

“Come on dear, it won’t take long, then we can all go to the cinema.”

“Oh, I don’t want to go. I want to finish my ..”

“For once think of others. We all want to go out but you need to do a little work first.”

“Why me? Why should the cares of the family be placed on my shoulders?”

Then grand dad speaks up. He has been reading the Sunday papers. He announces that he remembers a little poem by R. K. Munkittrick.

Unsatisfied Yearning

Down in the silent hall
Scampers the dog about,
And whines and barks and scratches,
In order to get out.

Once in the glittering starlight,
He straightway doth begin
To set up a doleful howling
In order to get in!

Do you every wonder if your much loved eleven plus child thinks like that at times?