I’m something of an obsessive when it comes to politics and history. As you might imagine, the ups and downs … and more downs … of the recent election campaign have fascinated, amused, and enraged me in various degrees of success over the past few weeks.
Now the election campaign is over, it’s back to agreeing or disagreeing with policy. To disagree on anything that affects our lives is important; I’d be more concerned if a policy was being pushed through without anyone disagreeing. It’s important to scrutinise everything. Sometimes, that scrutiny makes a policy better. Not always, though …
Recent politics have been something of a rollercoaster, and it’s allowed me to engage my son in the subject. I like reading about history and politics, and the number of podcasts I’ve got on my phone is barely controllable, but it means I try to give Bryan a bit of context to what’s going on. It doesn’t mean I try to just share my own opinion; I make sure I give him different sides of the argument. He deserves the chance to make up his own mind, based on as much information as I can give him, and it’s fascinating to watch his mind work.
I became interested in politics in the 90s. I remember watching the results of the 1997 election coming in on TV (the internet wasn’t a very big thing back then, and we were years away from podcasts, social media, and online news). I was 15 at the time and had a sense that something significant had happened (a long-serving government had been voted out, and a new dawn had broken, had it not?). I hadn’t formed a definitive idea of where my own politics lay at that point, but I was intrigued by what this change might mean.
I’ve voted in every election since then, and if this parliament runs its full term, then Bryan will be able to vote in the next general election. I’ve tried to engage him in politics through a narrative; not just facts and figures, but a sense of how and why different things have happened – from Europe to education, and other things in between.
Those big things affect us all in one form or another, and Bryan is starting to realise that; education policies will affect the next few years of his life, and it’s important he understands what his choices are going to be. I want to understand that, too, because a good education is vital to his future. Fortunately, Bryan’s school is very good for him. Its values, quality of education, and nurturing attitude are all just what I could hope for in a school.
This week, he’s had the opportunity to go on a reward trip to Chessington World of Adventures, along with a number of his friends. That reassures me, as it means that the people he’s chosen as his friends are of a similar mindset to him – respectful, studious, and thoughtful. He came home buzzing from that day on Tuesday, although getting him up on Wednesday morning was somewhat more difficult. I’m glad he can go to these adventure parks, as I’m really not good with them.
I took Bryan to Legoland a couple of times, where we met up with his siblings. That was handy, as he could go on the rides I really didn’t fancy with them. I was eternally grateful that I didn’t have to push that particular boundary.
We’re on the final countdown now to the summer holidays – a week and a half to go. I’ll still be working during part of it, although I’ve got two precious weeks off to spend with my boy. I intend to savour every moment. We’ll be spending the majority of our holiday at home, with a sojourn to visit family during the first week. We’ll find a lot to do during those two weeks, and I for one can’t wait.
