Colm O'Regan: I'm jealous of my eldest daughter, but it's a good jealousy

I remember that feeling well — looking up from the book an hour later and finding the world has changed or the sun had set

Colm O'Regan: 'Adults have got competitive with their book reading stats, setting goals. Putting up the lists of books read last year. Well, children eat your targets up for a snack.' Picture: Roger Kenny Photography 

I’m jealous of my eldest. It’s not toxic jealousy though. Not like peer-jealousy which leads to the hatching of elaborate schemes, the writing of poison letters and building traps in the forest. This is good jealousy.

I’m delighted for things in her life. Lots of things. She has no worries. She sees a career that she likes and announces that’s what she’d like to be when she grows up. She writes little songs and stories with no internal editor. There is no one else in her brain telling her she can’t do those things and don’t be stupid, and don’t take on too much, you’ve been disappointed before.