It is mid school year vacation for 2018 and day three of the kids’ holidays.   Just got their Semester 1 report cards and it brought me to tears.

Last weekend was a public holiday long weekend which kicked the school vacation off to an off the deep end 25/7 child care marathon.  Fighting the noisy thumping of them pounding up and down the stairs, scattering LEGO in every corner, demanding F&B faster than a pub’s last call, we are coping.  (ENGAGE !  Resistance is futile!)

Let me let you in a little secret.  Since we moved to Australia nearly three years ago, or TVs have been getting larger and number of bed time story readings has been getting smaller.  English at school HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED!

Not week goes past without Alpha and Bravo taking their school banking to the office on a Tuesday morning without a small deposit.  Maths results HAVE HIT THE CEILING!

Buying a small yacht, waxing the car together on a Saturday afternoon, buying groceries together, preparing the ingredients for meals as a group once in a while, etc., and Health, Science and Technology at school are all HIGH or VERY HIGH achievement.

Stayatworkfatherofthree sat down this afternoon in the car port with a small bottle of my now favorite beer Miller Chill, and opened the two hard paper envelopes with the reports and sucked incessantly and I digested such glowing accounts of our boys’ progress.

Not bad for two young boys who had to move house twice in Term 1 and then be on the wrong side of bullies for a few too many weeks.   So I rose from my plastic garden chair and walked inside and put my hands on their shoulders letting them know they had something to be proud of.  Despite their behavior at home at times being borderline GBH, their school performance was without fault, even at time I had been overseas.

Explaining to them, their sister Charlie and Stayathomemotheroffour, that all the subjects were above average and in the top 75% to 100% range, the tears came and my voice began to shake.   A Father for only 8 and 3/4 years and they are still my babies learning to walk on Earth.

How did we make it this far?  Elsa telling us to let it go has helped us and might help you too.  You have to write your own book and if your life was movie you get to choose the ending.

My problem now is they already have a laptop and Nintendo, R2-D2 3D cardboard DIY sculpture, Robot mechanical sets.  How do you reward boys like that ?  An interview with Elon Musk would go over their heads.

Have a great evening everyone.  The future is in good hands.