I take an interest in my children's education

Minnie has started learning the guitar. I don't quite know how it happened. Apparently she passed an audition or something. The first I knew or it was when she came home with a form for me to sign and a demand for £30. Then she mentioned that she would need a guitar.

I have lent her my old Spanish guitar. As I never got very far learning to play it myself, it would be lovely to see my daughter playing it. She has a book, "Simple Tunes for Tiny Fingers". I will watch her progress with interest.

I have reached a negotiated settlement with James about French. French is acceptable, apparently, as long as it is about science fiction. A quick search on YouTube came up with several clips of his favourite TV show, "Doctor Who", dubbed into French. I also found a French "Doctor Who" fan site. James spent half an hour watching all the clips. Result!

I was peeved, however, to hear him reading out the French subtitles. He had been taught that French is a written language rather than a spoken one, so he only thinks he is learning it if he reads it out loud. As he has not grasped the principles of pronunciation yet, he reads it as though it were badly-misspelled English. I will have words with his French teacher when I see her. And I won't mispronounce them either.