The school run, over.

I get accused of not taking plenty of things seriously enough.

My child's education.

Work.

And my personal hygiene.

I take all these accusations as compliments.

However one thing I take ridiculously seriously is road safety, or more particularly my child's safety when we are pedestrians.

Shouting is not my style, not in general, and not when it comes to parenting. Remaining calm, sometimes cutting, can be infinitely more powerful than simply raising the volume.

But when it comes to crossing the road and staying safe, I'm as serious as cancer, when I say rhythm is a dancer.

My decibel level gets decidedly higher when my child does something that I feel puts his well being in danger. And at the very height of my 'training' he used to know that when I said 'heel', like you would to a dog, that I meant it.

There was always a jovial twist on it, but the message of taking personal safety seriously was there, and I believe it is one well heeded.

But on our daily wander to and from school I see things that concern me greatly, and predict it is only a matter of time before a child is twatted by a car.

Some kids just seem completely unaware of the danger of walking into a road. And often the excitement of meeting up with a chum, means that they put themselves in situations they really shouldn't.

Parents often bawl and shout, but I've not seen a single one explain why they are angry with their children, when, in fact, it should be themselves they are angry with. The pricks.

There's also folks that insist on driving to school, when it is totally within reason that they should walk. Or certainly park on the outskirts of the village and wander in.

With the weather as it is. Snow, putting everyone in a state of panic, this situation is heightened further.

I also take extra precautions when walking in the snow, crossing the road to the side least likely to be mounted by folks that don't seem to understand that brakes don't work on ice.

A good practice I reckon. And today evidence to support my protocol was witnessed.

Folks clouting each other, one on the way back from dropping their child at school, and the other on the way to pull right up to the school gates as possible.

There was pandemonium in the street, well, as much as a dozen people could create.

All hot air and nonsense over nothing, which I turned my back on and continued our walk on to school. I did take a bit of time to explain to my child, that's why we cross the road at certain points, that would possible appear unnecessary to him. Furthering that the crash was totally avoidable, if folks weren't obsessed with getting as close to the school in their chosen mode of transport as they are.

Luckily, and I mean that, no one was injured today, but I do seriously consider it a matter of time before someone is.

I hope I'm wrong.

Films I really should have watched by now

As I get older, and grumpier, I find less and less on the television that I want to watch.

Perhaps I should give it up, and read more, but having rekindled my love for reading novels, I still habitually like to watch television in the evening, if only over the top of my notebook.

Thing is there is generally very little I want to watch on.

And now, I have even managed to run out of box sets and films I had queued up.

This year, or over the last 18 months, I have watched complete series of The Wire, The Sopranos, The Thick of It and Flight of the Conchords as well as the first few seasons of 24.

I have also watched Inglorious Bastards, after having it ‘in stock’ for about 10 months. And there are several other films, older ones, that I have heard people wax lyrical over, that I, for whatever reason, never got round to watching on the big screen. But have now on the little one.

They include: The Kite Runner, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Blood Diamond, In The Loop, Damned United, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Happy-Go-Lucky, This Is England, The Wrestler, The Pursuit of Happyness and Deathproof.

And now, having been bereft of any movie material, I had a bit of a splurg on everyone’s best money sapping friend, Amazon.

Et voila.

I also bought a Smokey and The Bandit box set, and a copy of BMX Bandits, the latter to take part in a podcast on Lee and Dan’s Midnight Movie Club.

Good Will Hunting is another ‘classic’ I have yet to add to my pending library, as is Brokeback Mountain.

But what others am I possibly missing?

Answers on a postcard, or failing that, in the comments here.

(BTW, I can’t abide horror films)

Not interested in my child's school work

I am not a very good liar, which is one of the reasons friends consider me straight.

'The straightest man I know' is actually a copyrighted phrase by Dan Hughes, circa October half-term 2010.

Sometimes this trait serves me well, and at others, it leaves me wishing I had never even opened my mouth.

It was my son's parent consultation earlier this week, and it started like this:

Teacher: 'Well, do you have any questions, concerns or want to have a look at your son's work?'

Moi, glibly: 'No.'

Teacher: 'Right, err, well........

I could have pretended, made stuff up, asked all about Key Stage 1, but my answer – no – to that question, was genuine.

I don't have any concerns about my son at school, nor would I wait for a scripted scheduled opportunity to ask questions of the school or his teacher. Plus, only a week ago we'd enjoyed an afternoon at school where he shared all his school work with his attentive father.

The truth is I don't give a shit about how he does at school. I really just want him to be happy there.

And with his personality, I think that is a philosophy that will backhandedly get the most out of him.

The teacher went on to say how together my son is at school, very knowledgeable of the world around him, how he is confident, always willing to contribute and offering ideas and opinion clearly of his own mind.

None of this surprised me, but it was pleasing to hear.

I went on to explain to the teacher that if he did excel at a certain discipline, arithmetic or literacy for example, that I would ask the school to spend less time on these subjects with him, rather than push him in areas he is clearly already adept in.

Broaden his mind, not centering it on the subjects he happens to be 'good' at.

There seems an obsession that if children, even at really tender ages, show an aptitude for one of the three Rs, that they are pushed, and pushed hard to be better at them.

I appreciate that children need to be stimulated at school in order to enjoy it, and avoid boredom. But rushing them in narrow, albeit traditionally valued and intrinsic disciplines, means that you are only delaying the point at which disinterest occurs. Either when a child plateaus or when there is literally no higher level for them to go to, last year of each school they are at for example.

There's also the case of children then losing confidence as new subjects are introduced, when suddenly they are no longer top of the class.

Schools' motivation for pushing children must also come into question, as I have heard all sorts of stories from 'educational professionals' such as a child that achieves a certain 'level' early can have that result counted the year they achieve it, as well as the year they should have, thus producing better overall results for an education establishment.

My view is not common, certainly not on our playground, but I couldn't be more genuine about it.

Parents argue with me that if Max was really good at the core subjects my opinion would differ, and thereby, by doing so, demonstrate how they do not know me at all

The only possible set of circumstances I might look at pushing him in core skills, is if I thought he was unhappy because he was struggling with them. But that's unlikely to happen as I see it, and even in those circumstances, I may focus on why he gives a shit about being good at skills that are useless on their own.

It's all about what you do with what you've got, rather than simply what you've got.

It is for me.

And to emphasise my point I always use the analogy of Stephen Hawkin.

One of the world's greatest minds.

And precisely where would he be without his techno, and thus his ability to process his knowledge to great use?

Great minds are fucking pointless on their own.

Mommy saturation point

I'm not exactly sure of the timing, but pretty soon after my wife passed away I threw myself into the stay-at-home parent arena.

Parent and toddler groups, music sessions, soft play groups, baby swim sessions, library story times, I was there, at them all, with my boy.

At a lot of these places I found myself the only man.

This was a novelty for me, and for a lot of the children. I remember being a magnet for some kids at these groups, and played with an awful lot of children as well as my own.

As intimidating as it was, and as fragile as I was, I didn't ignore the other parents, or put more accurately, the vast sea of mothers I was sailing amongst.

I was desperate to discover any 'mothering' type behaviour that, as a man, might not occur to me without prompt.

Such was my self-immersion in these groups I even got invited to social events linked to them. Whether out of sympathy, social awkwardness or a genuine enjoyment of my company I don't know, didn't care either. I still went out 'with the girls' on my voyage of discovery, and mini-crusade to prove myself as a parent.

When Max started school, if anything, this sort of thing and my involvement within mommy circles intensified.

My motivation this time round was to make sure that my son's opportunities, particularly his social ones, were not limited. It was important to me that folks felt comfortable in my company, and thus would be happy to send their children into my care, as they would be to take my son into theirs.

I sought acceptance, and approval I suppose.

Thing is, I struggle with the triviality that I've found prevalent when socialising with groups of parents, now I'm saying parents, but I mean moms.

OK, it is all relative, and what I find non-consequential, others may find the same thing a near life or death occurrence.

There's also the fact that I am sure many women would find the company of a group of men as annoying and the conversation non-consequential and uninteresting.

However when I was included on a round-robin text message about missing pencils, that was enough for me.

I am still cordial with all these people, but I have curtailed my socialising. Sending my child on his own for tea with families, when I would have joined him previously.

Turning down the opportunities to go out and socialise with the school group of moms.

This has of course back-fired to an extent, as it has increased - hopefully temporarily – the triviality.

I am now getting texts that say:

'did you get my text?'

and

'you don't text any more'

I can think of better uses for 12p.

Plus I am being mithered a bit for turning down the nights out.

But still, shit like that only furthers my resolve, and acts as proof that I have taken the right action, and that indeed, my tolerance levels have been exceeded.

I concede that I need to handle this delicately, but for my own sake feel that there really is no going back.

Question is, how do you explain all that without offending people, undoing all the ground work that has granted my boy the social opportunities he now has?

Tidy Books

A few years ago a saw an advert in the back of Practical Parenting that struck a real chord with me.

It was for a children’s bookcase.

A bookcase that children store their books in facing forward, showing off their beautifully illustrated covers rather than their terrible efficient but equally unexciting spines (Mr Men books aside, that actually spell Mr Men when collected together).

This is a method of storing and displaying books I have seen used in libraries but could not recall seeing in a home, but I thought it looked really cool, and having had one for a few years now, I still do.

However I am not really allowed near it without the correct authorisation, as my son has become very protective of his bookcase.

That is another charming trait of Tidy Books products, they really do encourage children to engage with their books, and take responsibility for them, I’ve experienced it first hand.

Really by chance I have ended up working with Tidy Books, helping them with the Tidy Books blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Geraldine, the creator of Tidy Books, is one of the nicest and most genuine people I have come into contact with, and having taken a decision five years ago to only work with projects and people that yielded me enjoyment as well as sustenance, I am delighted to still be working with her and Tidy Books.

With people considering gift buying for Christmas, Tidy Books are really popular, as their desirability as elegantly simple products that offer real longevity is heightened.

As an incentive UK readers of this blog are offered a 10% discount on all Tidy Books products. Bookcases, The Bunk Bed Buddy and Tidy Box.

All you have to do is use DISCOUNT CODE SPD10 when making your purchase, and 10% will be deducted from your total. Go and check out their excellent range of products here.

Tidy Books have also recently launched in the US, and are also available as far a field as Australia.

SO over half-term

Last week was holiday time for children here in the UK. Schools, certainly the ones still controlled by local government, split each school term with a weeklong holiday. These are lovingly referred to as half-terms.

I think they are great.

My child certainly seems to need a break after a six, seven or eight week stint at school, and I love having a week to ourselves.

That typed I am finding them increasingly hard work, and the word holiday is not really applicable to me, in a sense I’d like it to mean anyway.

This is partly my own doing, as I don’t allow the necessary time for work related tasks, and attempt to plough through a normal working week incorporating activities and days out with little concern to running out of time.

My work is deliberately flexible, as I seek opportunities to suite circumstance that both suit my skills, my availability and my ethos. But the knowledge that I can work in the middle of night when necessary is perhaps a false comfort, as the reality of doing so leaves me underperforming, and probably not fully enjoying other things.

Last week was gloriously hectic, but I think I did actually plan too much and we would both have benefitted from more sedate time at home alone.

A highlight of the week was having three quarters of my favourite internet family visit us, and our introduction to Geocaching.

The kids were in charge of getting us into the right place.

Dan was in charge of scaling trees to finds the caches.

And I was in charge of health and safety.

What could possibly have gone wrong?

But all the activities of last week left me completely whacked, noticeably so to me and others. And I feared another funk of summer holiday proportions.

However, with a much more relaxed 48 hours I feel I am returning to a happier even keel.

Hey, I've even found the energy to blog about it.