MY MEMORIES of the old, soft days of parenting seem to have merged into one ā a generic day, punctuated by kisses, which went like this: āDrink your milk ā last drop, one shoe on ā now the other one, hold my hand, five-a-day, sharing is caring ā yes ā even with scones, bath-time, pyjamas, time for bed, two stories, thereās no such thing as monsters, night, night,ā sofa, glass of wine, box-set.