The first day at school.

A metaphor about self-fulfilling prophecy.

A year ago, a young family moved next door to me with an adorable six year old child. Like all six year old boys, he doted on his parents and believed everything they said. He believed in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas.

They had moved in September and soon after whilst chatting over the fence his mum told me about the boy’s first day at school. He was a quiet and shy child and didn’t mix well and was prone to getting embarrassed when being the centre of attention.

She told me that as they walked to school, to prepare him for his first day in a new school that she warned him what was likely to happen. She said to him that he would have to stand up in front of the whole class, introduce himself and tell all the other unknown boys and girls about his life.

She warned him that when he stood up and opened his mouth he was likely to stutter and stammer and his mind would go blank because he was just like her and that’s what they “do”. He was likely to go bright red and silent, and all the other boys and girls would probably laugh at him so he may sit down in tears.

Feeling content that she had warned him, she kissed him goodbye and watched him walk away with a tear in her eye.

Later, when she collected him from the school gate, the first thing her son said was “Mum, you knew EXACTLY what would happen…and it did!”

The mum smiled and cuddled him, knowing that she had prepared him well.

Epilogue.

The next year his dad took him to school. Dad believed in a different form of preparation and said to the son that he would have to stand up in front of the class and tell all the other boys and girls about his summer holidays. This time when he stood up he would beam with excitement because he’d had the best holiday and would talk confidently about himself because the children would all love to hear his tales.

Funnily enough, when his dad collected him from the school gates, the boy was amazed, and said “Dad, you knew EXACTLY what would happen….and it did!”

The dad smiled and cuddled him, knowing that he had prepared him well.

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