Jack’s nursery decided that a magic show was the best way to ease kids back into the daily routine in the first week back from half term.

Remembering how much I loved magic shows as a child, I jumped at the opportunity to take Jack. Not long after the show started however, I realised that Jack hadn’t quite grasped what a magic show is. But then why would he?

Arriving at the show with Jack after work on Wednesday, I was very impressed with the scale of the preparations. The event was actually put on by the PTA at the school Jack’s nursery is attached to, so the age range was pretty broad.

What really struck me was the size of the audience, and also the ambition of the show. There was robot dancing, a duck, rabbit and even a candy floss machine! All in front of an audience at least 100 strong.

Unfortunately though, my enthusiasm was not shared with Jack. Initially, before the show started, he was very much in the mood.

However, when he started loudly asking me when the show was going to start about 15 minutes (or five tricks) in, I began to question whether it had been such a good idea.

Jack and I both missed the finale of the first act before the interval, due to a poorly timed toddler toilet break. By the time the second act was underway, Jack had already consigned himself to rolling about on the floor with his classmates, roaring at each other and trying to feed each other candy floss.

Funnily enough, I enjoyed the second act far more than the first, but that was really only because I didn’t have to explain everything that was happening to Jack on the stage. So in the end, not really the father-son bonding session I’d intended on (sigh!).

Fingers crossed he’ll be more receptive when we go to the circus next month, although he’ll have no friends to play with, or floor to roll on if it is not for him. Personally, I’ve never met a child who isn’t impressed by tightrope walking, but then I’d have said the same about ducks being magically transformed into rabbits last week too!