I remember being told that your school days are the happiest days of your life. At the time I though it was bollocks, or I would have if I had known what they were, because I hated school with a passion and any reason to stay home was a good one. No, the happiest days of your life are the school holidays, and if you’re an eight year old boy at the moment then I recon you have got the best of it.

Let me explain. If your eight your still mums little boy, you can hit your older brother or sister and get away with it because your still a “little boy” and if they hit you back you turn on the tears and run to mum who does the decent thing, she stops your tears, kisses it better, listens to what happened and doles out a bit of parental justice. Brother/Sister get privileges removed, you get ice cream and extra time on the play station; Job done!

Eight year olds will be breaking up from school in 2 days, they went up from infants to juniors this year and they know their way around the school now so returning in September holds no real worries and its six whole weeks until then. Six weeks of sun shine, ball games in the park, holidays with a bit of luck and getting up late.

My eight year old had got it made. Break up on Wednesday, sailing at the weekend then down to our holiday home on the Isle of Wight for a few weeks with mum and the other kids while Dad stays in Essex working all hours to pay for afore mentioned holiday home. Then back for a bit more sailing late in August, oh yes did I mention Cowes week and all the fun and games that will bring. Finally back down to the island for Dads 40th birthday, (that should be a laugh, maybe I can watch him dance and laugh so hard that cola comes out of my nose… again) and the powerboat racing at the end of the summer. I’ll fit in a bit of rugby training on the Sundays I’m in Essex and be ready for the season to start again in September.

So don’t give me this rubbish about School days being the happiest, School holidays at the age of eight are the happiest. – Oh yes, did I mention it never rained in the summer when I was eight!

Have a great holiday Warwick and don’t grow up too soon. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.