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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Duke of Edinburgh bronze in a pandemic and 14yr old, moan alert

30 replies

megletthesecond · 23/06/2021 18:02

DS's school got them started on D of E bronze in March. They sorted out the 2 day hike which was a good start. He loves that sort of thing.

Since then DS has not been able to sort out anything physical, volunteering or a skill. His karate and army cadets haven't been helpful. All his mates have families and friends who have contacts to help and I have no one, a job and a violent younger sibling who consumes so much of my time. Parkrun would be every week but I can't commit to it we only do it a couple of times a month usually.

This is taking up so much of my time reminding him to sort stuff out and see what he can do. I can't drive him somewhere every week which rules out a lot. It does feel like the kids need a lot of support and time given to them to get them through this. I didn't realise I was signing myself up too Hmm.

OP posts:
QuestioningEverything2 · 23/06/2021 18:19

My DS volunteered at parkrun for his bronze, he didn't need to commit to every week. He roughly did every other as he ran the weeks in between. For physical and skill his club instructors signed him off.

Like pp I didn't help him, he had to do it himself, including getting himself to wherever he needed to be.

HelloDulling · 23/06/2021 18:17

DD is doing her hike tomorrow. She did running programme using an app for her physical.

His karate is def a skill, or a physical. Can he volunteer with younger students there too?

Original poster
megletthesecond · 23/06/2021 18:15

Partly. I don't have time to take him to somewhere ever week for months.
I'm also having to chase up his D of E teacher to let them know were totally stuck. He doesn't care so I'm trying to sort something out. I don't want him to miss out due to lack of support.

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 23/06/2021 18:13

Hmm, I didn't help my dd with the volunteering, she just sorted it out herself. Are there local cub/scout groups where he could ask to help out?

With regard to the skills/physical sections, my dd just asked her existing extracurricular teachers if they would sign off her forms. If your ds does karate, surely that can count as the physical one. Don't know much about army cadets, but is there something there that could be counted as a skill?

Part of what your ds should gain from doing something like DofE is the opportunity to take responsibility for stuff and use his initiative. You shouldn't have to do it for him. Yes, it's a bit harder in the pandemic, but a lot of things are open again now. Let him try to sort it out himself - it will do him good!

GreyhoundG1rl · 23/06/2021 18:10

Why does he need so much support? Is it a transport thing?

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