My young issue of the non-distaff side had a turbulent upbringing. Between 1996 and 2003 they lived in Russia, Croatia, Bosnia, USA, England, Serbia and Poland. Seven countries in some seven years.

This took its toll in educational terms. In Sarajevo they were among the first intake in the newly opened international school, comprising exactly 40% of it (ie there were five children at first – it has moved on since then) and we eventually surrendered, sending them off from Poland to boarding school.

In Belgrade after Milosevic fell, the only English-speaking international school was in a gloomy state, so we decided to ask to take with us a tutor. This once had been a normal part of FCO life, but had not been done for years. Yet there it was, provided for deep in a dusty part of the rules. So we were duly authorised to find and take with us said tutor.

For a year they were home-schooled. No great harm occurred. In fact they may even have learned something.

Hard to say whether all the long-term disruption to their education was good or bad. They missed out 100% on continuity during those formative years, but in Belgrade at least having top-end football coaching and access to the Serbian Special Forces sniper range appeared to compensate.

Now teenagers, they get up occasionally and sprawl voluminously round the house, demanding money with menaces and waiting for their GCSE/A-Level results respectively. 

In those days it was not so easy to find tutors willing to live overseas at short notice. Now the Internet does the business via Tutor Hunt.

So snap one up quick.