extra-curriculars are the only place DD5 has found real friends so far - and it's because of the ability-grouping, rather than age-grouping. her dance friends are years older than her, and it works really well: they dance, they play, they read, they joke around - it's awesome.

this year in Pre-K she experienced a boatload of HK's aptly categorized (b) friends and it was so hollow and sad. her teachers saw her as the most popular kid in the class - and DD saw herself as the kid with no friends.

Every Sunday it brooded and lay on the floor. Inconveniently close to the drawing-room door.