Show and Tell

At the outset, we were delighted by the idea of the weekly 'Show and Tell' session at the nursery. 'What a lovely idea' we thought - oh how little we knew! From the very outset, this wonderful 'ideal' has become the most stressful of ordeals. Competitive Dulwich parents have gone into a frenzied overdrive.

On the very first week of 'Show and Tell' at nursery last year, one delightful little boy was visited by his dynamic, high achieving aunt in her 'Squirrel' RAF Helicopter on the playing field - oh yes, beat that! From then on, the tone was set, the gloves were off. On subsequent Fridays, pitching up for school has been an exercise in intimidation. We were almost involved in an accident a couple of weeks ago, because the vehicle we usually park behind unexpectedly had a long trailer on the back - containing daddy's 'oar' from when he won the Oxford-Cambridge boat race! On other occasions children have arrived with various implements their relatives used on their charity climb of Everest/filming news stories in Iraq/tending the sick post tsunami - the list is endless. They make us feel positively feckless!

I had originally thought how lovely it would be for my tots to bring in the cross stitch samplers their blind Great Grandma Laura had stitched for them when they were born. Laura was in her mid-90's when she crafted them, with great love and care. But I can't help it, I get sucked in. I hate to be outdone...............

Keen to take part, Max and Freya set off to school on Friday's of late, with a 'ships magnet' -from Grandpa Charles days as an Admiral in the Navy (much less dramatic in its visual impact from the street - but highly significant to our small boy), and Great Aunt Jessica's MBE. Hurrah - at least we tried to take part. I think if we had rented Bubbles (Michael Jackson's chimp) for the morning, it would have caused much more of a stir, but sadly there was no real family connection - as far as I am aware.