After eight months of listening to my daughter telling me that the teachers did this, the teachers said that, I was getting pretty frustrated and worried about the kind of education that child was receiving.
As exam time was approaching very fast, my sixteen and three quarters year old daughter is having a bad day. By the way, the three quarters is a big part of the number. She was seated at the table, her head resting on her left hand, while the other, with manicured nails and inky fingers tips, played pensively with her long brown hair.
And then she said the most amazing affirmation of the evening: “I wish I have listened better in class.”
“Well, what do you know“ I said with a bemused smile on my face.
How incredible, now that she goes through the mill, she realised that she should have taken her studies a bit more seriously.
After all, it was not the teacher’s fault if she did not listen in class. It was not the teacher’s fault if she was late for class.
In a few seconds she understood why she should have done her home work. The teacher was not joking, the final piece will be counted as part of the exam.
I looked at her and offered a cup of tea, what else could I do. I could not help. She opened “The Return of the Native” read a few sentences and put it face down on the table. Then she picked up the “Translations” read one sentence and screamed in frustration: “I understand nothing, why the heck do they have to write such book anyway?”
“This is English Literature my darling,” I said, while searching for a place to put down the mug of tea. I envisaged putting it down on “Introduction to Psychology” or on “Advanced Psychology” as the thickness of the books could be used as a good mat.
“Move your political papers,” I was quick to say “You spent days re-writing them in short notes, you will surely died if a drop of tea fell on them.”
“That’s fine, I won’t have to do my business studies,” she replied with at touch of sarcasm.
“ So which subject are you dropping next year” I inquired.
“Don’t know yet, I enjoyed all of them” she said.
“Are you sure” I said
“Yap” she answered.
In a swift change of attitude, with a big beam on her face, she said: “After I finished my exams I will party the whole week-end.”
“I do not think so” was my matter of fact reply.
Then I thought what the heck, I was sixteen and three quarters once.
With deep breath, my sixteen and three quarters years old going 21 daughter went back to her studies.

Marcelle Roujade