The art of small talk

Or how when you get to midlife it doesn't come easy

Every year there’s a big music festival in my local area. It’s an amazing event, run chiefly by volunteers, and bands play in all the local pubs and parks. I was worried because my eldest, who is now 11, wanted to do a lot of stuff on her own. I started the day saying that I wanted her to stick with us, but then found out that the majority of her friends were allowed free rein so loosened up. I felt tense though. Like I wasn’t setting the right boundaries and the arguments on what was okay and what wasn’t had started the minute I’d opened my eyes.