With children back at academy, the whodunit of what they are doing all day and how they are getting on is also available pre-occupying many parents.
Any parent of local schools child will be familiar with monosyllabic responses drawn from the question: “How was academy darling? ”
Wouldn’t it be nice if they just answered properly for once?
Research with a panel of 1,000 mothers for communications app ClassDojo, has disclosed the top phrases parents of primary-age children long to hear from their sprogs. These are the top 10.
1 “The toys are all straightened away fully and put in the right boxes.”
Top scorer in the poll at 35%. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the words ‘Tidy Up Time’ accompanied with an enthusiastic grin actually prompted action? Why does it simply work in the classroom? Word to the wise: don’t worry about it, simply wipe all that toy debris into the corner of the room at night.
2 “Let me talk to you about what I learnt at school today.”
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption So … how was your day at academy?
Ah so refreshing. Some 27% of parents surveyed said are seeking to prise information out of our little ones was like “getting blood out of a stone”. But in reality do we actually have the time to listen to chapter and verse on how a volcano does its thing? Likely not – there’s too much homework to supervise.
3 “I’ve got myself ready, so I can go to bed early.”
That would make a severe and probably fatal occurrence of open mouth disease( also referred to as gobsmacked malady) in the majority residences, where mothers try urgently to coax their little ones to bed. In fact it’s typically at bedtime that many children suddenly would like to speak about their day.
4 “Thank you for straightening my room.”
Gracious statements such as this would go down like a dollop of clotted cream in many dwellings. What’s more likely to be said? “Why have you messed with my things and obscure all my stuff mum? ” Give us strength.
5 “I’ve threw all my clothes in the laundry basket.”
Not literally I hope. Just the unclean ones delight. Wet towels off the bathroom flooring or the bunk would be a good home to start.
6 “Would you like to see how well I’ve done my homework? “
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption The stroll home can be a good time to catch up
Most of us simply want to know that our children have( a) done their homework and( b) is seeking to do it well. But spectators might be surprised at what a scuffle some gentle parental probing in the homework kingdom can cause.
7 “I guess I’ve watched enough Tv for one day.”
If that was said in my household, I would expect the television to explode immediately afterwards in horror at being rejected after such a long love affair. First rule of parenting; there can never was not sufficient TV.
8 “I’ve already jam-pack my academy container with everything I need for tomorrow.”
Wouldn’t that be nice. No chasing around for a lost water bottle or tie in the morning. Just a smooth and elegant exit through the front doorway at stupid o’ clock.
9 “There’s a letter in my academy bag that you should probably read.”
Ah the letter one. Yes indeed. Typically a collection of crumpled papers seem from under beds and inside socks several weeks after they were supposed to have been read, digested, signed and returned. Hey ho! We can’t all be perfect.
10 “I can see you’re on the phone, so I’m going to play quietly.”
The old-fashioned phone trick. A really good one to end on. Why is it that the moment my best friend you haven’t “ve been talking to” for perfectly ages calls up, the little minxes start interrupting the air with dozens of irrelevant questions?
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Aaaaah! Chaos 
