…PLEASE will you come down the tunnel slide with me” a plaintive little voice beside me cried. I have been at a local leisure park on a day out from school and my brief has been to keep our small but beautiful band of key stage 1 children happy and safe. I had already spent my day charging round and round in circles keeping their merry-go-round swings going (“faster, faster Mrs Mingay”) and watching their fearless little selves racing up steps onto huge slides. One such, “the Demon Drop”…think exponential curve that starts about 30 feet in the air… then picture five year old children launching themselves off it with demonic grins on their faces then racing back up the steps for another go! One of my children broke his arm on Tuesday yet he was doing the Demon Drop approximately every 5-6 minutes for at least an hour, flying down the drop with his plastered arm held aloft like a trophy. I told his Mum later in the day that I’d renamed him M… the Brave, because he was!

Anyway, towards the end of the day during which I’d safely navigated through the minefield of blazing sunshine, a public place, fifteen children (I had other grown up help) and lots of potentially tricky situations with all of my charges intact, my hand was grabbed by one of my titchiest charges as she said the immortal words that I started with. AAArrggghhhh!

What could I do but comply? So, here are my feet before they are launched down the tube. I’m glad to say that after a go in both the yellow and the green ones she was satisfied that I’d fulfilled my teacher’s duties and she went off beaming with happiness saying “now watch me do it again”.

I learned that it’s extremely scary being responsible for other people’s children in public places but at the same time it’s plain brilliant. I have had the most fun I’ve had for ages and I love every one of those children as fiercely as if they were my own offspring. (AND they’re not even the class I’m normally responsible for!)