RE: Shuiab Khan: Why I’m really no match for my three-year-old daughter Well if your experience proves to be anything like mine the progression is this: you go from hero to an embarrassment, then you become ‘Mr Spoilsport’ and then finallyyou may turn into a sage.

At some point you will become aware of a reversal in the parent-child relationship. Of course, nominally you will remain a parent but the reality of power on the ground will be very different. You will not – no not ever – lose the key responsibility for providing household income, nor will you ever not be ‘lender of last resort’, but other than that a new childhood beckons for you – believe me.

Actually the reversal in our household happened about 10 years ago. I’d been nominated to go ‘Up Colne’ on an errand and my youngest daughter agreed to accompany me, at which point her elder sister said: “And remember to take care of dad; he hasn’t a clue what he’s doing.”

And it’s been downhill for me since that day onwards.

Kevin, Colne