Over the summer, I became fixated by curious and bizarre words and their meanings. Petrichor, chrysalism, annasach, quiddling, peregrination are all words I am desperate to start slipping into conversations. One word in particular resonated with me in a surprisingly powerful way. Oubaitori (oh-buy-toe-ree) is a Japanese idiom that relates to the four trees that bloom in spring: cherry, plum, peach and apricot. Importantly here, it is accepted that each tree blossoms at its own pace and only when it is ready. In my 28 years in education, I have always observed and talked about children in this way, but now I have a word for it! A dad to two fine young men (yes I am biased), I see that as parents, the best lesson we can ever learn is to let our offspring develop at their own pace and that to force it is against Nature itself. Russell House provides myriad opportunities for children to explore their academic and extracurricular lives, so let’s all relax, let us do what we do best, and let the children blossom in their own time.