Here is a small thing that annoys me.
When I collect my youngest child from school (the older two are self-transporting), I wait in the school reception area, with many other parents. The children come down the hallway, and are often heavy-laden with the gear of school life: backpacks, violins, sports bags, swimming bags, coat or sweater trailing on the floor. The child deposits an item or two, or sometimes all of them, at the feet of the parent. The parent picks up the luggage, and they set off towards the car together.
Parents, please do not do this. It really annoys me. Quite apart from that, it is a practice that encourages your child to see you as a porter, or servant, or some invisible life-facilitating entity. Your child is not a toddler, when picking up after them is a more reasonable task. They have carried their stuff around quite adequately all day, without you doing so on their behalf.
I understand that they are weighed down with it all, and you have two free hands. Helping out is sensible. So what I suggest is this. Either teach them to ask "Mummy/Daddy, could I ask you to help me carry my bag?" and to wait for your reply, before dumping the bag in front of you. Or say to them "Would you like me to help you with all that stuff?" and wait for them to reply (using the word please or thank you), before unloading some of it from them.
I try not to be a preachy parent, because we're none of us perfect, and you never know who is reading your blog, but well, this one annoys me. We signed up to be parents, not pack horses.
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