Father's singing

 

 Joe and Helen had two small children. One of them was six, and the other was four. They always resisted going to bed, and Helen was always complaining to Joe about this, but as he did not come home from work until after they had gone to bed during the week, he was unable to help except at week-ends.

Joe considered himself a good singer, but really his voice was not at all musical. However, he decided that, if he sang to the children when they went to bed, it would help them to relax, and gradually they would go to sleep.

He did this every Saturday and Sunday night until he heard his small son whisper to his younger sister. ‘If you pretend that you’re asleep, he stops !’

Please answer these questions below.
1. Were Helen’s children young or old ?  
2. What did she complain to her husband ?   
3. Why couldn’t he help for most of the time ?   
4. When could he help ?   
5. In what way was Joe mistaken about his own abilities ?
6. How did he try to help his wife ?
7. When did he stop doing this ?
8. What had his small son learned to do ?