“I’m taking a stand. I’m putting my foot down.” The text message came through at exactly 1.45pm yesterday afternoon.It chills me to the bone just to think about it. Was it a rollicking from work? Had my wife had enough?
No, this was my daughter adopting the ideologically certain voice of a political crusader at the age of 13. Why? In protest at her parents changing her piano lesson time without her permission.
Bad enough that she should be on the darn phone texting during school hours, never mind scheming sheer anarchy by refusing to go to her piano teacher. But that wasn’t the end of it. Our teenage rigourist had another pronouncement to make: no more ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’ - from now on it would be first names only.
Now, some more traditional families might consider that to be a bit hippy dippy. I’ve got no strong feelings really - in fact, if it makes her happy, why not? - but I am filled with a growing anxiety. How long will it be until my daughter discovers the full potential of my name?
