The Tiger Mum Who Came to Tea. Uttom Chowdhury

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      Uttom Chowdhury

      Illustrated by Liz Whallett

      It was ten past four. Jenny had just got home after finishing work and picking her three children up from school. She’d also collected her daughter’s classmate, who was over for a playdate.

      She was exhausted and would have liked nothing more than to sit down quietly with a cup of tea and to get back to the novel she was reading.

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      Jenny was preparing snacks for the four children when the doorbell rang.

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      It was the Tiger Mum!

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      The Tiger Mum had dropped off her son, Seb, at violin practice and thought it would be nice to call in on her friend, Jenny.

      The two mums talked about their work, school and how the kids were doing, and caught up on general gossip. Jenny asked the Tiger Mum how Seb was getting on with his violin lessons.

      “He’s doing OK,” said the Tiger Mum. “Next week he’s performing with an orchestra in two London musicals, as well as taking part in the final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year. He then has his grade 9 violin exam before heading off to Austria to perform at the Salzburg Festival of Music. To be honest, Jenny, I don’t think he’s practising enough to keep up with his peer group.”

      As well as being an international violin soloist, Seb was an award-winning pianist, an accomplished cellist and was teaching the harpsichord to adults at evening classes.

      Seb was ten years old.

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      “How does Seb find the time to learn and practise all those instruments?” Jenny wondered.

      The Tiger Mum replied that she was very good at seeking out rehearsal opportunities for her son. “Only this morning, I convinced Seb’s headmaster that he should cut short his usual address to the school in next Friday’s assembly. This will give Seb the chance to play his violin in front of a live audience.”

      The Tiger Mum explained how she’d helpfully re-drafted the headmaster’s speech for him and designed a new assembly programme that featured Seb performing several of his exam pieces.

      Jenny smiled politely. She said it was nice of the headmaster to be so accommodating.

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