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DOCUMENT 1 Oh dear, there’s a bit of me that misses the family so much […]. ‘It’s different, here, Granny,’ said Gene firmly, when we next talked on Skype. I had managed to smother my face with make-up and sit rather far away so I knew he wouldn’t be able
DOCUMENT 1 Oh dear, there’s a bit of me that misses the family so much […]. ‘It’s different, here, Granny,’ said Gene firmly, when we next talked on Skype. I had managed to smother my face with make-up and sit rather far away so I knew he wouldn’t be able to see me properly. He paused. ‘They call poo “shit” here, Granny. 5 That’s a very rude word, isn’t it, Granny?’ ‘What about the teacher?’ I asked changing the subject. Perhaps they didn’t call them teachers in American schools. Perhaps they called them ‘tutors’ or ‘instructors’ or ‘mentors’ or ‘educators’. ‘He’s so dumb,’ said Gene, firmly. ‘He don’t know nothing. And we have to sing 10 some silly song, well Dad says it’s silly, about America every morning. It ends up saying “my home sweet home”, but America isn’t home, Dad says, England is home.’ ‘Well, I’m sure Dad’s right,’ I said cautiously, ‘but it might be best just to go along with it because people can be very touchy and if you say you don’t like their country they can get very silly. I mean you wouldn’t like it if people said England was stupid, 15 would you?’ ‘And they call chips “fries” here. That’s dumb, isn’t it? They’re chips, aren’t they? Not fries.’ ‘It must be very puzzling for you,’ I said, my mind aching with sympathy for the little chap. ‘I wish I could be with you and pick you up from school and things 20 sometimes.’[…] ‘How is my jersey going?’ he asked. ‘Can I see it?’ I went and got it. With Marion’s help, I’ve finally managed to finish the back. ‘Now that’s cool!’ he said, sounding far too American for my taste. ‘When will you finish it?’ 25 ‘Probably when you’re twelve,’ I said, ‘When you’re far too old to want to wear something with elephants on it.’ ‘Well, hurry up,’ he said sensibly. Then he said: ‘I’ve got to go … Dad’s calling … love you, Granny.’ ‘Love you too, darling,’ I said, blowing him a kiss. Virginia Ironside, No! I Don’t Need Reading Glasses!, 2014, (p183-185). 15ANTE2PO1 2/5 DOCUMENT 2 Grandparents take on key childcare role during summer holidays More than half of grandparents surveyed plan to look after their grandchildren during school holidays. A third of grandparents are looking after their grandchildren more than three times a week during the summer