Do you remember the story of The Sleeping Beauty? King
Florestan and his Queen invited all the Fairies to be present as Godmothers to the
christening of the infant Princess Aurora. Unfortunately the Fairy Carabosse
was forgotten – but she arrived at the ceremony feeling slighted and upset. The
other Fairies gave `useful’ gifts – but Fairy Carabosse gave a spindle. She
announced that one day Aurora would prick her finger – and die!
Lilac Fairy did not agree – and promised that Aurora would
not die but would fall into a deep sleep.
On Aurora’s sixteenth birthday (just as she was to write a
few more GCSE examinations) four Princes arrived to woo her. Fairy Carabosse
tricked Aurora into pricking her finger – and Fairy Lilac eased her into a deep
sleep.
One hundred years later a young Prince found Princess Aurora
and woke her with a kiss. There was a big wedding and the Lilac Fairy blessed
the young couple.
Eleven plus mothers would be wise to heed this story from
long ago. The spindle can be likened to the `Princess Candidate’ arguing with mother.
Too many fights during the eleven plus year can lead to wasting time and
effort. For some children it may be easier to promote and initiate an argument than
actually doing the work. Some parents may choose to remind their daughter that
there is no handsome Prince who will appear and supply all the eleven plus
answers telepathically during the examination.
