Content may be sparse for a few days due to my having far too many hats to wear at the moment.Mrs and Mrs P Snr have just moved house which has been a burden on my time, while I've also just signed a contract which could increase Puddlecote Inc's turnover by 10%-20% with any luck.
There's also the not inconsiderable amount of time being spent getting the little Ps to cricket training and matches, martial arts events, netball training and other such stuff, all out of school time.
The reason for outside clubs being necessary for their activities is illustrated by the girl's school experience with athletics this month. Due to a scarcity of entrants, she was press ganged into taking part in the sports day's high jump competition. Never having done the event before, it was quite a surprise when she not only won it, but also narrowly failed at a height which would have broken the school record for her year.
We asked her what award she received for her achievement and she replied that there wasn't one. Not a cup, medal, certificate or even a sticker. She just took part, won, and then it is all forgotten about. I was surprised they even know what the school record is since they attach so little importance to it.
To make matters worse, as champion she was naturally chosen to represent her school in the high jump event at the district school sports day. Warming to the task, she asked if she could practice after school for a couple of days before the event to ensure a good performance. The reply was that no, she couldn't, and that the teachers thought the best approach was to "rest" (laziness or health & safety, you decide).
In the year when the Olympics come to our country - with much fanfare and the slogan "Inspire a Generation" hanging from lamp posts up and down the torch relay route - here we have a member of the younger generation receiving barely a pat on the back for performing well, and then being stopped from enjoying sport more when she was 'inspired' to do so.
And don't get me started on the boy being told he can't bowl overarm at a very rare inter-school cricket competition because "other children don't go to out-of-school clubs so aren't as good as you".
For all the talk of inspiration, I don't see much seizing of the Olympics opportunity where it actually matters, sadly.
10 comments:
"For all the talk of inspiration, I don't see much seizing of the Olympics opportunity where it actually matters, sadly."
Well, there's a blatant conflict between the Olympics and the everyone-wins- prizes mentality
" he can't bowl overarm at a very rare inter-school cricket competition because "other children don't go to out-of-school clubs so aren't as good as you"."
With attitudes like that, kids these days don't stand a chance.
When I was a youngster, my forte was gymnastics. Not only did the PE teacher regularly stay late to run the school gymnastics club, but because I showed promise he also organised (and transported me on a Sunday morning) to train with Nik Stuart (who was a British champion about 8 times running).
All in his own time.
Not much chance of that now. He'd probably be accused of being a child molester.
"I've also just signed a contract which could increase Puddlecote Inc's turnover by 10%-20% with any luck."
Good luck with that, mate. But keep in mind something that someone once said to me at some business/social event years ago:
"Turnover's vanity...
Profit is sanity."
That little throwaway quip stuck in my mind, and made me re-assess the business I had at the time. Within six months I had halved my turnover...... and doubled my profits. I had been so fixated on increasing turnover, I was ignoring the fact that a lot of my contracts were not making anything except extra work. So I started to cull the deadwood.
Your business is not so simple to cull I wouldn't think, as you have a lot of capital investment tied up in your fleet, and that needs to be kept moving. However, beware of the turnover trap. It can come back and bite you on the bum! :)
" he can't bowl overarm at a very rare inter-school cricket competition because "other children don't go to out-of-school clubs so aren't as good as you"."
With attitudes like that, kids these days don't stand a chance.
When I was a youngster, my forte was gymnastics. Not only did the PE teacher regularly stay late to run the school gymnastics club, but because I showed promise he also organised (and transported me on a Sunday morning) to train with Nik Stuart (who was a British champion about 8 times running).
All in his own time.
Not much chance of that now. He'd probably be accused of being a child molester.
"I've also just signed a contract which could increase Puddlecote Inc's turnover by 10%-20% with any luck."
Good luck with that, mate. But keep in mind something that someone once said to me at some business/social event years ago:
"Turnover's vanity...Profit is sanity."
That little throwaway quip stuck in my mind, and made me re-assess the business I had at the time. Within six months I had halved my turnover...... and doubled my profits. I had been so fixated on increasing turnover, I was ignoring the fact that a lot of my contracts were not making anything except extra work. So I started to cull the deadwood.
Your business is not so simple to cull I wouldn't think, as you have a lot of capital investment tied up in your fleet, and that needs to be kept moving. However, beware of the turnover trap. It can come back and bite you on the bum! :)
Worry not, it's something we'd not normally go into except it offers work outside of our core operating times. Good for us and for our staff as many part-timers can go full time - we sounded them out before bidding.
All saves on overhead through more income from the same licensing, regulation etc, so everyone is happy. Means we might have to buy a few larger vehicles, but that offers opportunities elsewhere. :)
On the athletics thing, I was decent at high jump myself at school (must be in her genes) and remember dragging the mat out on many an occasion for practice with a friend. No teacher required, just us on the school field until the caretaker turned up and turfed us out. I do pity the children of today as they've lost freedoms like that.
Then they talk about obesity and lack of exercise in kids, eh? It would help if the state hadn't put so many obstacles up, wouldn't it?
Their response, it seems to me at secondary level, is that if there must be competition, no-one wins prizes.
The 'equality' of the socialist writ small...
I wouldn't even bother with school cricket at state schools. Either they can't be arsed, or it is too expensive (with some justification), or some wankers dislike it as 'posh'
Join a big local club with a good colts section.
I wouldn't even bother with school cricket at state schools. Either they can't be arsed, or it is too expensive (with some justification), or some wankers dislike it as 'posh'
Join a big local club with a good colts section.
When I was at senior school and my daughter it infuriated me that the sport done on games days was rotated and no matter your strengths/weaknesses you had to do whatever was your rotation on that day.
I was good and netball (even reached the junior county championships) and tennis, but detested hockey and was useless and athletics. Being forced to do activities I was no good at and/or detested made me very rebellious and I just refused to partake. Now, if I had been able to concentrate on netball and tennis I would have given my all!
I know we all have to do things we don't like, but it would surely help to encourage the kids if they were encouraged in what they had some apptitude for and at least some liking for, especially as you say Dick, with the fight against childhood obesity (if that is really a problem - most kids who are 'tubby' grow out of it) and encourage them to get away from their computer games and partake in actual active sport.
I have never really understood the moronic attitude of 'state educators'!
The same could well be said for the academic subjects. If a child is not academically minded, but is good at practical things, surely it is better to lead with practical skills as much of the basic academic stuff will be included, but in a way they can relate which gives them a much better chance of work in the future rather then have them feel that they are dumped on the scrapheap. It would also, most likely, lead to less disruption in classes as those that don't understand the academics will not be sat bored and looking to make mischief!
I was about to make the same business consultancy point as Nisakiman, but he beat me to it, and it looks as if you have it covered, Dick.
Just be careful how you finance the extra vehicles. A market can evaporate around you with little warning.
Sounds as if you have very sound staff...
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