I continue to be amazed at the rate at which my daughter conversation improves. Today she announced it was broken. I understood what she said – I just couldn’t see what she was going on about and thought she had got it wrong. Then I looked round and saw that her toy truck had indeed broken. She has just turned 2.

I think what surprises me most is the words. I don’t remember teaching her a single word. Which means she has picked most of it through example and observation. That’s a worry isn’t it. It does mean my example has to be good – even very good. How many other people learn by observation? Maybe it goes on around us all the time.

So maybe it is time for us to watch our Ps and Qs and start setting a good example. Most of all this challenge needs to go out to our leaders.