I loved your recent story Must Try Harder – all the more because I have a similar tale to share with your readers. I can’t remember exactly how old I was at the time but I remember I wasn’t yet at senior school, so I’d certainly be under 11. And at this time my mum had not yet been gifted the punishment strap by Mrs Mason, in whose honour it was named!
I was a gifted child and found academic subjects relatively easy – later, I found I was blessed with a much higher IQ than average. But similar to the author of Must Try Harder, didn’t always apply myself to my full capabilities. Looking back, I think it wasn’t so much that I was lazy as such º it was more through a lack of stimulation that I didn’t feel the need to try harder to get results which were sufficient in my parents’ eyes. I also think this was part of the reason I was a relatively headstrong girl who tended to push boundaries and seek excitement in my own naughty and bizarre way in my teens.