All three of them sat around the party table and tucked into the buffet. Janet was excited and excitable whilst David was on his very best behaviour. He didn’t even need prompting to say please and thank you when offered some crisps, a slice of quiche, or a piece of cake. He and his sister cleared the table and after fetching the last of the plates and bowls to the sink, he loitered by the breakfast bar of noticed the Proactive Parenting pamphlet. “What’s this?” he asked.

“That’s where I got the idea of putting you in a dress from.” his mother replied. “It’s not just you… lots of boys are as good as girls when they’re dressed as girls.”

He gulped nervously and peered at the pictures; one boy wears a dress, the other wears a pinafore over a smart Fauntleroy suit and the third wears a woman’s apron over normal boy’s clothes. “Have a look if you want.” his mother suggested. She continued washing the dishes whilst he hesitantly opened the pamphlet. She covertly watched in her peripheral vision and almost heard him gulp. The pamphlet explains what petticoating is and when it’s beneficial, as well as advising on what types of clothes are most effective in various situations. “Am I a petticoated boy?” he nervously asked.

“Whilst you’re wearing a dress you are.” his mother replied. “You can’t deny that it’s helped you behave yourself today.” she added.

“Only because I didn’t want anyone to know I was wearing it.” he mumbled.

“Good. And if you continue to behave, no one need know.” she informed him.

“I won’t have to wear it again will I?” he asked. “It says here that petticoated boys should regularly wear girl’s clothes.”

“We’ll see.” she told him. “If I need you to behave and I can’t trust that you will behave, then I’ll make you wear it again… but hopefully next time I won’t have to stitch you into it.”

“It also says that petticoated boys should wear a nappy for bed.” he reads. “Every night!”