Parents' evening

Last night was Waif's parents' evening. She has only been at the school since January, but already the teachers are in love with her: Waif concentrates well, inspires others, sets out her work beautifully, picks up new concepts instantly and is generally perfect.

As her English teacher remarked, she very rarely has a child that she wants to tell to try a little less hard, but Waif is she. When asked to complete a piece of work, Waif does it first forwards, then backwards, upside down and illustrated. This streak will make Waif go far in life - let me recommend her already to any future employer; she is your ideal worker.

Oddly, the only subject that was luke warm was her art teacher. Waif adores art. she has just been given £200 by her grandmother to spend on a hobby (OD bought ice skates) and has rekitted out the art cupboard. She spends upwards of 15 hours a week at home drawing and painting and IMO is outstandingly talented (also in the opinion of the art department at her last school which is one of the best in the country). Waif had already complained to me that art lessons at her new school were strange as she has not so far been asked to draw or paint anything. They have been commenting on famous artists' works. The teacher said that she didn't have much to say about Waif. Tis confirms that she has not seen Waif draw. I hope that she has a chance to show her skills soon. I mentioned that art was Waif's favourite subject and that she wanted to go to art school. The teacher looked a little embarrassed.

Ho hum, English was "thrilled to bits" and already has Waif pencilled in for an English degree. Her maths master (Waif is straight top sets and is taught by the head of maths) thinks that she is "exceptional". I confess that I have never looked at Waif's maths for she has never asked me. I must start. Her Chemistry teacher is frustrated at having to teach electrolysis without mentioning atomic structure and ions, and instead ina wishy washy non-scientific way, but said that Waif was the first child that he has taught that has taken the concepts, tested them mentally, probed deeply and run with the ideas.

Of course, part of this fantastic adulation is due to the fact that Waif has moved from a top selective school to a much less academic local school and so stands out. Good for her though. I hope this star position will boost Waif's confidence and self esteem.

If only she would eat!!!!!! Waif has so much talent but it will all count for nothing if she is too ill to attend school or live a long life. She has felt too tired for school on 2 days this week and I am certain this is because she has not been eating properly this week - all the eating she has been doing when I am "not in the kitchen" hasn't translated to physical strength.

I am serious (and remind her regularly) that sport will come to a complete halt if she has not put on weight by Monday. We may get lots of food in on Saturday and Sunday as Waif wants to run a 2k race on Sunday which is after the 10k race that my husband and I are running locally, and will be run by many friends and neighbours.

Meanwhile, I am expecting a poor running time for myself as I have put on 4kg since Waif has attended the Maudsley! That is nearly an 8% increase in weight. In the same way that one wants to be ill in place of one's children, in some way I am eating in some kind of empathy with Waif to set a good example only it hasn't worked too well. I am going to start skipping lunch in order to keep up with Waif in the evening and to not end up needing a complete new wardrobe (many of my clothes no longer fit).

Oh, the parents in law arrive tonight. Often Pa-in-law congratulates me on being slim. I wonder what he will say tonight :-o