I was a horribly bossy 10 year old child. I did what I wanted, when I wanted and nobody could stop me. The reason I got away with so many things is because I never did anything wrong - I always had a justification for what I did and my parents and teachers could not find fault with it.

This changed when my family moved me across the world and I started at a new elementary school. The deputy principal would walk around picking on little 10 year olds if the vending machine ran out of her favourite kit kat chocolate.

One day she came up to me and demanded that I remove my small gold hoops as they were a hazard during play time. I refused. I knew the rules and they said that I could wear a single pair of discreet earrings. When she threatened to call my parents, I widened my stance, stuck my chin out and told her to go ahead.

My parents researched the rules and sided with me, while the deputy principal grew more outraged by the minute. She had never faced such an adverse reaction before - especially from a child - and she was adamant not to lose.

When we met with the principal, the deputy spluttered her excuses for picking on me, spittle flying from her mouth as she demanded a review of the rules. However, the level headed principal was open to my logical explanation of the rules and I walked out of the office with my shiny gold hoops firmly in my ears.

From that day until the day I left 2 years later the deputy principal would glare at me, and wait to pounce if I ever slipped up. Sadly she couldn't trip up the perfectionist 10 year old.