When in Rome

During our time in Provence, we spent a good deal of time "doing" the Roman stuff in towns like Avignon, Nimes and Arles. I wondered how this would pan out with H in tow, but as it turned out he loved it, having the chance to climb freely up and down steps while either D or I trailed leisurely behind him, audioguide playing in one ear. The other was usually marooned with feeding or burping little B, but that was no great hardship, as relaxing looking over the amphitheatres in the gentle October sunshine was a perfectly pleasant shift.

H, having got to the "What's that?" stage, was quizzing me about what happened in the amphitheatre's arena in Nimes. I took a deep breath and began hesitantly to try to explain about people being thrown to the lions. The sort of response that probably isn't in the Practical Parenting guide, I know, but I was caught on the hop a little and am still being idealistic about explaining life's realities honestly and openly (no doubt I'll grow out of it). I wasn't sure how much H was going to grasp, but he listened attentively. When I had finished he nodded in agreement and pointed down to the oval arena below. "That's the Naughty Corner!" he affirmed.

I suppose if you lasted a full two minutes in the Roman Naughty Corner you were doing pretty well.