There could possibly be a moment in the course of an eleven
plus journey when some parents may feel that they need to lay down the law.
Naturally most parents have a sixth sense that warns them when it is a good
time to have confrontation – and when to back off.
Very occasionally the well-meaning parent may feel driven to
despair. Very few parents would even
dream of engaging in physical or verbal intimidation.
Parents will more than likely also avoid like the plague any
use of sarcasm or ridicule.
There is also the spectre of losing one’s temper – and thus,
possibly, the battle.
And who in their right mind would want to allow a little
squabble about working on an eleven plus paper to develop into full scale
confrontation? This is where both sides can lose control and the eleven plus
child feels that there is no escape.
If parents back off from a fight they are not necessarily
losing authority. Key eleven plus words are `compromise’ and
`negotiation’.
