C14 Team success - and a well-deserved rest!

It was a long haul. A lot of hours. A long day at the competition.

But they did good.

 The robot performed consistently well (though not achieving the 400+ scores they know it can). Apparently, several features of the competition table were different to those they had been rehearsing with. I'm told the 'wall' was higher than they'd expected. I'm also told the lego man (known fondly by C14 as 'the hobbit') had been given flexible legs and this required an adjustment of the robot between runs. Not being an expert in areas of walls or hobbits, all I could do was nod, sympathetically.

Despite the robot not doing as well as they'd hoped, on the competition table they got into the final top 8 - 7th we think in the final scores. The other aspects of the competition went well. Their presentation (they said) was a success. They spoke to members of other teams, got to chat with last year's winners, Untitled 1, whose 6 years of attempts had culminated in a truly amazing lego robot. They had a lot of fun.

All the competing teams were awarded medals. Then, to their surprise, C14 were given the 'Innovation Award', an award for 'extraordinary creativity and innovation' in robot build.

Some very chuffed boys.

"Actually, my kids are amazing."

Imagine the scene.

*****

You bump into someone you haven't met for a while.

You engage in polite chit-chat. 

They ask how everything is going . 

"Fine," you say. 

They ask how the kids are.

"Fine." 

You move on.

*****

I've made a promise to myself. Next time anyone asks how the kids are, I'm not going to say "fine". No. Next time, I might say "Actually, my kids are amazing."

Because no matter how much we mumble and moan about our kids and focus on the 'issues' and 'problems', the day-to-day grind, AND ALL THAT STUFF, if we take the time to stop and look, our kids really are AMAZING.

Ds2's contribution for the group's Arts Award display, inspired by sessions with artist, Bethany Milam. He also completed a behind-the-scenes video of a children's performance and researched Michele Paver for his portfolio.

Dd wins bronze medal for her age group at the fencing England Youth Championships, having only been fencing in full kit since September. (Note the lovely apres-fencing-pink-crocs-with-socks look ;) ) 

The other competitors were a little taller :)

But perhaps even more of an achievement, dd, having only learned to read this year, writes her first list (unprompted) of essential things to take to the fencing competition. As you can see, ham sandwiches are far more important than fencing kit.

And on a family camping weekend ds1 (14) surprises us all by having a great time with a friend's teenage girls (14 and 18). It seems the gender divide isn't irreparable, even at his age.