Cousin's DD has always been clever, and for the last couple of years has been predicted 9s in all of her GCSEs. This has morphed into cousin telling everyone 'well you know, X will get all 9s', utterly and absolutely confident. I've thought a few times that it's giving the DD no way to possibly improve on expectations, the only way she has is down.
Results have arrived today and she has achieved a clutch of 9s, 8s, 7s and 6s. I think she should be very proud of her achievement. When I asked my cousin how she'd done, he tried to seem pleased and I said they were brilliant grades. Later (neither occasion in front of his DD) he admitted he was disappointed and surprised she hadn't got all 9s. His wife, trying to cheer herself and him up, said they were still mostly old As and they shouldn't be too downhearted.
AIBU to think that my cousin and his wife should never have put their daughter on such a pedestal that anything short of top grades in all subjects is a disappointment? I did say to them to try not to express any disappointment in front of her, but no doubt she'll pick up on it. I did straightaway.