The teacher is now going to be referred to as Teacher since every elementary school age child from the dawn of time has referred to their teacher as only Teacher not by their actual name.

"Boys and girls,settle down,I have a surprise for you ." Teacher said Monday morning,she was holding a bag. "Can anyone guess what's in this bag?" she asked.

"Sweeties"

"Puppy."

"Biscuits"

"Bugs."

"Ew!"

"Maybe it's barf."

"Eeeeww!"

Teacher held up her hand,"No,it's not any of those .I'll give you a hint,it starts with the letter "s" and you find it on the beach."

"Seashells!" Peter shouted forgetting to raise his hand.

"Yes,very good,Peter,but next time raise your for the ,we'll be going on a coach outing trip to the beach,but you have to have your parents sign a permission slip,if they don't sign it you can't go." Teacher said.

Peter could barely pay attention,he loved going to the beach and they only went when Daddy had a day off. Mummy said it was too hectic to pack the car up all by herself,even though he and Susan tried to help it still took a long time. So Mummy only took them to the park which was close to their house and they could walk . Peter was too busy day dreaming that he didn't realise that Teacher had asked him a question until she called his name again

"Peter,pay attention,what's two times eight?" Teacher asked. They were learning multiplication that month and Peter hated it. He didn't know why he couldn't just add up all the numbers.

"Fourteen?" he guessed.

"No." Teacher said,calling on another child.

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Today was also parent teacher meetings,Peter jumped off the swing when he saw Mummy come out of the school,Lucy on her hip. Susan and Edmund were at home with Nana.

"What'd Teacher say about me?" he asked the minute he got closer,Mummyshifted Lucy around to her other hip.

"She's says you're very imaginative" Mummy said.

"Is that good or bad?" Peter asked.

"Sometimes it's good,but sometimes it's bad. She says you don't pay attention sometimes." Mummy continued a bit sternly.

"I do,but sometimes I can't cause I'm thinking of other things too,Mummy." Peter said in injured tones."What else did she say about me."

"Well,she said you read quite well,but you can't seem to grasp the concept of multiplication." Mummy said as they reached the house and they went inside.

"Peter!" Susan cried running toward him,she threw her arms around his neck,"Now,we could play Mummies and Daddies and Eddy could be the baby."

"No!,don't wanna be no baby wanna be doggie!" Edmund cried .

"Peter,can't play yet,he has to do his homework." Mummy said .

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Peter really hated multiplication ,he hated Teacher for making them do it .He threw his pencil down in frustration.

"I can't do it,Mummy! it's hard." he said nearly crying in frustration

Mummy came over,"I explained it to you already." she said putting down the mixing bowl.

"But it's hard." Peter said ,"I don't see why I have to learn this anyway. How come I can't just add all the numbers up."

"Because that doesn't always work and it takes too long " a new voice said.

"Daddy!" Peter shouted jumping out of his chair and running into his arms.

Daddy put him down," Shall I help you with your homework?"

"Peter,remember,Daddy,can't do your homework for you." Mummy reminded him as she gave Lucy a cracker to chew on,she went back to preparing dinner,from the parlour they could hear snatches of Susan and Edmund's conversation and Nana's snores.

"I know,Mummy." Peter said in a tone of voice indicating he was not really listening.

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"Mummy on Thursday,were going to the beach,but you have to sign my permission slip." Peter said at bedtime.

"Where is your pemission slip." Mummy asked folding his shirt and pants.

Peter scrambled out of bed and went to his book satchel digging out the crumbled piece of paper,he handed it to her and climbed back into bed.

"You won't forget to sign it will you." Peter asked.

Mummy put the permission slip in her apron pocket,"No,I won't " she said "Pick out a story." she said bringing over the leather bound book of fairytales.