Cathy Glass - Cruel to Be Kind, Part 2 of 3

Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the familys privacy.

HarperElement

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First published by HarperElement 2017

FIRST EDITION

Cathy Glass 2017

Cover layout design HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017

Cover photograph Iwona Podlasiska/Arcangel Images (boy, posed by a model)

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Cathy Glass asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBN: 9780008252007

Ebook Edition August 2017 ISBN: 9780008252052

Version: 2017-10-10

Chapter Nine

As I held and comforted Max I could picture only too clearly the embarrassment school sports day would cause him. It was supposed to be fun, when all the school came together to show off their fitness and agility skills in healthy competition although I didnt remember my school sports days with relish. I wasnt overweight, but neither was I very good at sport, and regardless of how hard I tried,I always came near the end in a race not last, but well back from the leaders. In high jump and long jump my legs didnt seem able to generate the necessary spring to propel me high enough or far enough, and I remember how self-conscious I felt in the qualifying heats when I tried and failed, with the rest of my class watching. Then there was the relay race, in which we all had to participate, but I could never run as fast as the person passing the baton to me or to whom I passed it, so I always felt Id let down the team. The fun races at the end were OK the egg and spoon race, sack race and three-legged race, but they were just for fun and held little in the way of true competition or achievement. Looking back, my performance was probably average for my age, but it didnt feel like that at the time, so I had every sympathy for Max, whose obesity put him at such a disadvantage in most physical activities.

Come on, love, I said, passing him a tissue. Dry your eyes. Well sort something out.

Can I stay at home, please, and pretend Im ill, like I did last year?

I helped him wipe his eyes. If thats the only way, but first I want to speak to your teacher and see what she has to say. Given how sensitive Mrs Marshall was to Maxs limitations, tailoring his involvement in PE lessons, I wanted to discuss it with her first.

Eventually Maxs tears subsided and I put my arm around him and gave him a hug. With more reassurance that he wasnt to worry about sports day and no one would force him to participate, he lay down, ready for sleep.

I wish I wasnt so big, he said wistfully. Its because I eat too much, isnt it?

Its the most likely reason, yes. We get energy from the food we eat and what we dont need is stored in our body as fat.

So how do you get smaller? he asked. Cleary the subject hadnt been discussed at home.

By eating a little less each day, especially sweet things. And exercise, like walking rather than going in the car, which you are doing here with me.

Why dont my sisters and mum do that?

I dont know, love.

My dad says he likes big women.

Does he?

Shall I try to eat less sweet things so I can run in sports day?

Yes, but it takes quite a long time. You wont suddenly see a change. It takes many months to lose weight, sometimes years. But please dont worry about sports day. Ill sort something out. And so the conversation ended as it had begun, with me trying to allay Maxs fears about sports day.

I sat with him a while longer to make sure he was ready to go to sleep and wouldnt lie there worrying. It was late and we had school in the morning, so I didnt suggest he read for a while. When I was satisfied he was slowly drifting off to sleep I kissed his forehead, said goodnight and came out.

Paula was already in bed asleep and Adrian, aware that I was spending longer than usual with Max, had come up and got ready for bed and was now in bed waiting for me to say goodnight. Adrians school had already had their annual sports day, and because Adrian was reasonably fit and athletic hed met the day with excitement a challenge not dread. And hed done very well.

When I wrote up my log notes that night I included Maxs anxiety about his schools sports day and the discussion wed had about losing weight. As well as containing appointments and charting the childs day-to-day progress, the log can act as an aide-mmoire. Its easy to forget what happened or was said on a particular day months later, and Id learnt from experience to be conscientious in my record keeping. Id once been asked to check my log notes in respect of a child whod left me nine months previously, when a child protection matter arose and the case went to court. So regardless of how tired I was, I always updated my log before I went to bed, while the events of the day were still fresh in my mind. Jill checks them each month as part of her statutory visit.

There wasnt time to try to see Mrs Marshall when I took Max to breakfast club the following morning, as I had to take Adrian and Paula to school and nursery straight after. Once home, I telephoned Maxs school secretary and said Id like to arrange to speak to Mrs Marshall and asked when it would be a good time for me to phone. I didnt think this necessitated us meeting, as it was something that could be discussed over the phone. The secretary said shed speak to Mrs Marshall and let me know. Then, at eleven oclock, the phone rang and it was Mrs Marshall, taking the opportunity to call while the children were in the playground on mid-morning break.

Thank you so much for phoning, I said. Aware that her time would be short I came straight to the point. Max was very upset last night because of sports day. He tells me he was so worried last year that he took the day off school. He wants to do the same this year, but I said Id speak to you.

Oh dear, the poor child, she sympathized. He should have told me rather than worrying.

Exactly, but he thinks if he goes into school on Friday he will be made to participate.

Its true we like all the children to join in, but our sports day, like in many other primary schools, is different now from what you and I remember. The children compete as teams, not individually, so there is no pressure.

How does that work? I asked. Adrians school sports day was traditional and similar to the ones I remembered.

They compete in their house teams, Mrs Marshall explained. The children are divided into their four house teams and each team consists of all ages of children, from Reception to Year 6. The teams then rotate around fun activities; for example, an obstacle course, shuttle run, hockey dribble, beat the goalie and so on. They collect points for their house. They have regular breaks when they have a drink of water, and each activity only lasts about five minutes. At the end all the children receive a sticker and the trophy is presented to the house with highest number of points.