PARENTS AND TEENS: WELCOME TO MY WORLD

PROGRAMME 9: FELIX AND NIGEL

PROGRAMME OUTLINE

00:00 – 07:27 Monday

Felix hates being told what to do, an attitude that landed him in big trouble at his last school. He's starting afresh at a different school, and Nigel hopes he'll do better, but Felix isn't convinced that his dad has faith in him. For Nigel, being a dad is all about providing discipline. He tries to talk Felix through some homework, but it all ends in tears.

07:28 – 10:17 Tuesday

Nigel's job as a pilot frequently takes him away from home, and he misses out on a lot of what goes on in his sons' lives. Felix, who never likes to conform, feels distant from his dad and sees him as a control freak. However, he'd like Nigel to be there much more often.

10:18 – 13:20 Wednesday

Nigel's in Delhi. He works hard to provide for the family and says that they're all-important to him. Back at home, Felix cooks and does his homework without a murmur, but his dad's not there to see how well he's doing. Even so, home life is calmer when Nigel's away. When he's around, the atmosphere is more frantic than when it's just Felix, his brothers, and his mum.

13:21 – 15:28 Thursday

Nigel comes home completely shattered and by 6 o'clock he's ready for bed. It's often tiredness that stops him from doing things with the boys. But for Felix it feels as though his dad would rather spend time on his computer than with his sons.

15: 29 – 18:26 Friday

Felix has some friends round and Nigel's in charge, but he's too tired to do anything with the kids and leaves them to get on with it. All's been going well at school for Felix – until his parents discover that he's been lying about going to trombone lessons. They ground him for three weeks, but Felix isn't repentant.

18: 27 – 20:37 Saturday

The heat's on because Felix is performing a trombone solo, and his lack of practice is all too obvious. Despite everything, Nigel's proud of him and wants to support him, but Felix still feels that he's bottom of his dad's list of priorities.

20:38 – 25:00 Sunday

Nigel's surprised when he watches the film and realises just how much Felix misses having him around. They realise that they do love each other, but that it will take more than that to make a difference. Nigel resolves to start prioritising time together with Felix whenever he's at home.