Earth calling

There appears to be one organisation which has a more tenuous grip on reality than even the government. I speak of The Professional Association of Teachers who have come out with the frankly astonishing idea that "deferred success" should replace the idea of failure. Have you ever heard such rubbish? Can I suggest that "deferred reality" would be a better expression.

It would be lovely if all of us achieved all our dreams, if life allowed us all have everything we want. But it doesn't happen like that does it? There is always somebody in front of you who is more motivated, funnier, better looking, more educated etc. Schools must teach kids to work their back-sides off to achieve their dreams and aspirations, but it must also prepare them for disappointment. It is inevitable. I was devastated at the age of 13 to discover that I was short-sighted and so would never be an RAF pilot. But I dealt with it and channelled my energy into my second choice and I achieved that. If my dream had been kept on life support for a few more years it may have been too late. My time could have been wasted.

Life isn't a box of chocolates. People will let you down and screw you over. It's not nice but it's going to happen at some point. Isn't it better to learn how to deal with that in a supportive environment like school rather than later when you're out on your own?