I may have posted about this before, but I feel very strongly about school prizegivings.
On the one hand, my grandchildren are not allowed to "win" events at their school sports day. It's all about taking part, you see; there are no winners or losers. But come prizegiving day, things are very different. Those who come top in things - probably more due to their inborn ability than for any other reason - win the prizes, while the poor little also-rans don't.
My two ten-year-old granddaughters are very different. One is top in everything, and wins prizes; her sister isn't, and doesn't. Hence, prizegiving day is a nightmare, because it's impossible to celebrate properly with the one while greiving (and boy, does that poor little girl grieve) with the other. So my poor daughter (who as a child, on one occasion wept all the way home from her own school prizegiving, because she hadn't won anything) went along yesterday, full of dread.
Needless to say, the first child won the form prize, but the even better news is that her sister was awarded a new cup; one donated by an ex-pupil for the child who "has reflected the most the ethos of the school"*. Phew!
The celebration took place at Pizza Express, and now peace reigns. Until next time...
*I thoroughly approve of this prize, because any child might be able to win it, provided they are kind and helpful. And being kind and helpful is a lot more useful in life than the ability to do clever things with pi, or know who was on the throne in 1638.
