Mummy, what do teachers do on their holidays?

'Mummy,' Heather said with a serious face sitting down beside me, eyes wide, back straight, hands in her lap, her serious pose! 'What do teachers play when they're on holiday?'
'Well they relax' I said, this was clearly not a good enough. 'But Mummy, do they play with their brother and sisters in the garden?'
'Well no, I expect they go on holiday and read books and things.'
'Do they go shopping?'
'Yes?'
'What for food?
'Yes'
'And toys?'
'Well maybe not toys'
'What about books?'
'Yes'
'Why do they play with their children?'
'Well because they like to, like I like playing with you'
'Oh' and then she wandered off.
What had sparked this sudden interest in her teachers? We ran into one of them at our local Tumble Tots sessions with her daughter, who is the same age as Lucy and her Mum, this was also of great curiosity to Heather. The teacher was brave enough to say hello to Heather and for the first time this holiday she lost her tongue!

It reminded me of my own teaching days, the children would invest huge amounts of energy into finding out how old I was, what my 'real' name was and where I lived and who with. On two occasions I dodged children in the supermarket as they followed me about eager to report back on the contents of my trolley.

Perhaps the most embarrassing incident occurred shortly after I had returned to work after the birth of Heather, we were preparing for her Christening and had popped over the the cash and carry so our trolley was piled high with champagne, wine, crisps, and so on... The look on the child's face was priceless and the whispers whizzed around the school on Monday.

It reminded me that teachers are never really off duty, once spotted out of the classroom you kind of have to say hi or risk the child being upset or spreading rumours. It also reminded me how intrigued children are when they see their teachers in a public place when they least expect it!

IN other news I was excited to find that my book is now stocked in twenty one local libraries and has been borrowed by people! Must keep up with the next one!