DS is just over 3.5 years old and very articulate (objectively speaking - everyone comments on it, it is just his "thing"). He goes to nursey school three mornings a week where he does unspecified activities of the type three year old do - he's a bit vague on what they are but the seem to involve paint/glue/glitter/cooking/jumping/singing with an occasional bit of snatching and pushing thrown in for good measure. The nursery school is great (and just had a very good Ofsted report) and, to the extent we get any feedback from them, they think he is doing very well - we've never had any developmental issues and in fact we were asked to stay behind a couple of weeks ago to be told how well he was progressing. He's also got a sweet little nature (when I asked him the other day what he was doing he said, "Oh you know, Mum, I'm just being cheeky and cheerful", which in fact pretty much sums him up). To add an objective note, he's pretty crap at telling his colours and spends a lot of time picking his nose!
We were called in for a "standard" 3.5 year developmental check and I was gobsmacked at how formal it was. DS was asked to sit down at a small desk. There were pencils, blocks and paper put out. He was asked to name and then draw a variety of shapes. Then asked lots of colours, to draw other things, count the blocks, stack them up - all one after the other, no praise or appreciation. Then lots of random questions - did he know what a dentist was? whose hand must he hold when he crossed the road? what would happen if he didn't (and thanks for bringing death into it by the way!): what was his favourite fruit; what was his favourite vegetable. Poor old DS got smaller and smaller and quieter and quieter as the questions were being rattled out and I could see he was getting a bit overwhelmed. It wasn't clear if I was allowed to help out or not - I had just been asked to sit on one side and was clearly no part of it - none of the questions were addressed to me or eye contact even made. I did help him out, of course and that was noted down.
After we had finished and we were going on for a restorative cup of hot chocolate, I said to him how well he had done and wasn't it brilliant how he could answer all of the questions (which he had done) and he said "Yes Mummy, and I wasn't even afraid of that lady. Well, I was, but only a bit"!!! Poor little sod.