Starting secondary support thread 2

You and the cat both Witchend She's only just braved leaving the room six hours after scary rabbit was put back!

Sorry to hear about your DD - migraines are horrible and hope she's not anxious.

DD finally got her Intermediate Maths Challenge result - she got Gold and Kangaroo (76) so she's happy and apparently was 8th in the whole school out of the year 8 to 11s. She's not sure if she was top of year 8 but was top of her half year. She also reported the male PE teacher for entering the girls changing rooms whilst they are changing - happened twice to them. Unfortunately she was discussing this very loudly in the PE lesson and the PE teacher asked her if she was planning on reporting him. She said no but not exactly rocket science to work out her and three others did. PE teacher gave her a detention and some of other girls. I've sent an e-mail to her form tutor. Hopefully innocent but DD said another girl said he'ld walked in on them half dressed.

I'm traumatised by such a ferocious looking animal

Ds has had a quiet week, but dd2 is home. 2nd migraine in two days, so I'm not sure if cluster migraines are starting again or she's staring a downward spiral into anxiety. Not good.

Ds had his last food tech lesson of the year as they only do half a year and then do textiles for the other half. He's not pleased as he far prefers cooking. I'm delighted as the hassle of providing ingredients is over until September now. He's very proud of his stir fry and told me all about it.

She's about the size of one hand.

Sorry DS2 was being a pain Dobbins. Relieved to hear its probably an autistic thing - looking last night it kept coming up as schizophrenia

DD forgot to shut one rabbit away - the tiny fluffy girl baby rabbit - I noticed as the cat started acting terrified, she was hiding in a corner behind a wardrobe quivering and peering out occasionally. This is the terrifying animal in question.

at David Cameron penguins. Both mine went through a phase of talking about Stephen Fry like he was a close personal friend. It's because of the game Big Little Planet or something like that that SF narrates.

I was glad DS2's food tech was cancelled as I ended up needing most of the tubs etc for DS1's food tech.

DS2 was a bloody nightmare this morning. Sat around as per usual, dashed out the door at the last possible minute to get the bus, only to return as he didn't have his tie and had no idea where it was. I couldn't find it either, he "thinks" he might have lost it yesterday. Scrabbled together some cash as I think the school shop sells spares, then had to drive him to a bus stop which meant getting DS3 & 4 ready as well. He got out, then started flapping about not having his phone. I may have shouted at him to go and get the bus.

our school is not doing food tech at all.

dc had 5 pancakes this morning. poor teacher - all that stodgy energy

DS had a theory of the fruit salad lesson. He spoke very highly of it not Dobbins

Told DD DS had been saying he was Einstein and she said do you remember that time you were worried about him as he kept saying he was David Cameron I had tried to forget that, I think he's joking with these things but its hard to tell. We had about 6 months of David Cameron this, David Cameron that.

DD is now playing with the rabbit toy and has destroyed it, maturity levels are high in this house! Still hasn't got maths results. DD did say the male PE teacher has come into the girls changing room a couple of times when they are changing and seems to be looking at girls bottoms a lot. She says she's going to say something, sounds a bit worrying.

I hope rabbit toy dramas are forgotten now penguins

DS2 has his first food tech lesson tomorrow. They were supposed to be making fruit salad, but due to staff shortages they won't be able to do practical tomorrow. I bet a theory lesson on making a fruit salad will be thrilling!

DS and DD had a big fallout as DS stole the rabbit's new toy ball to play with it himself.

Told DS's maths teacher he's very excited about the junior maths challenge and they said he's in it. Told DS and he started jumping up and down saying I will go to the Olympiad. Then Mummy are there any maths competitions abroad I can also go to? I told him you need to be Einstein to do that, he said its OK I am Einstein, look them up please. Can't find anything but have mentioned it to teacher of young Einstein. He said the Olympiad is the Olympics of nerds and that's where I belong.

He also stole the rabbits new toy ball for himself and DD was so angry, she hit him. He said it was to stop the rabbits chewing it but looks like he chewed it himself. Lot of drama over a £2 ball. Apart from that she was really good this weekend helping decorate our old house for £10 an hour to pay back some of bunny costs.

DD has told me if DS gets more than her on the junior maths challenge I am not to tell her - she's still awaiting Intermediate results

She decided to test DS on last year's paper today and did it herself but she didn't allow him to check any answers. He was telling her of course I will go to the Olympiad, love the way there's no doubt in his mind. She says this year she will be brave enough to answer the last questions where you can lose marks if you get them wrong and said last year she wasn't. She got 107 and he got 105 one on this test they did but he was cross shouting I got less and you wouldn't let me check, this is all your fault DD. Then I pointed out 105 would be through to Olympiad and he was OK. Not sure they will get through on day though.

His year are supposed to being doing posters to win a place on an engineering work placement which would be really good for him on whose DNA would you replicate. He really wants the place but says they won't choose him and he doesn't agree with replicating DNA as its pointless plus he's too lazy to do a poster and won't accept help

Hope everyone has a good weekend. Had an academic call me about some work he wants to do together and he set his fire alarm off saying he had left some food on and he just carried on call. Can imagine DS doing that in a few years time, DH already does things like that and have to watch like a hawk in a thatched cottage though have fire station 100 metres away. I played a youtube song I get tuna for the cat and now DS is obsessed with it so we will be hearing that a lot I suspect.

Glad school are starting to understand DS a bit better penguin DS1 cannot deal with home/school crossover at all and would rather chew his arm off then sit in a on a meeting. He's decided he is not going to tell DH and me his chosen options, as "it's nothing to do with you".

Have found out DS1's school also do GCSE English Literature in Yr10 and this is DS1's absolute worst subject. I just don't think kicking off with a fail is going to be helpful in motivating him do the GCSEs in Yr11.

It was a similar case with DS2 and the PE teachers witchend they just allegedly couldn't see how they were quite imposing and intimidating to a new Yr7.

DS2 came home quite chirpy and doesn't have too much homework.

Dobbins I think that's similar to ds' attendance so I think, considering all your ds has had to go through, that's brilliant. Hope he's better soon.

I don't think some teachers get how intimidating it can be for a year 7 to speak up and say what the problem is-that's if they actually know themselves.
When ds had the issue when he was attacked the teacher tried to say that they didn't believe him because he didn't say anything unless asked a direct question. I said that I wouldn't expect him to and there was a long pause and they asked in a totally surprised voice "do you think he'd struggle to speak to adults about it?" To which I replied in what was probably an equally surprised voice "I'd expect any year 7 to struggle in that situation."

It is funny when they go into big sister mode isn't it? Dd1 does it a lot for ds (he's going to miss her next year) but dd2 varies between "he's the biggest embarrassment and pain in the neck" and big sister mode.

I've just washed ds' sheets, so need to get them back on the bed before he comes home. He hates newly washed sheets. He has a bad dust mite allergy, so is meant to have them washed weekly.

Poor DS Dobbins hope he feels better soon. We are at 91.35% for DD and 90.87% so DS needs to get through today and Monday tantrum free - its 1.56pm so we are OK today, phew. So here's hoping for meltdown-free Monday. He was still muttering like Muttley last night.

Still at least school seem to now agree they are wasting their time trying to get DS to talk at a meeting. DD was furious school had called us to a meeting and spoken to class saying about DS - she has gone into very protective big sister mode - think school were just trying to help. An hour to the weekend!!

Poor DS penguin sorry he is struggling with school atm. Glad you've got the Ed Psych appt coming up.

DS2 has been o.kish. still has puffy streaming eyes and dodgy tummy. But has been managing school so he's at the giddy heights of 89.05%(!).

Argh he school refused today so I had to stay here whilst DH went - they apparently just want to help him. He's not the easiest child to help atm - screaming then refusing to communicate today until 3.05pm then normal service magically resumes. Rabbits vaccinated round 1, second round then they neuter.

How is your DS getting on Dobbins? We are at 90.5% now so hoping no more tantrum days though apparently 85% here but don't want to test below 90%.

Ed psych appointment through for March but DS was terrible in a science test today as he couldn't answer every question so started banging his desk. Been in a funny mood all week about school but refuses to talk about it. So we have to see Head, SENCO and one other SLT tomorrow at 8.15am with him - oh joy. He hates meetings and will be having a tantrum - wish they would let us meet without him. Also feeling quite ill - reacted very badly to hay from rabbit and face was swelling, rash everywhere, blinding headache, hard to breathe, chest pains. Thankfully hoovered and changed bedding and its more like hayfever now but am so drowsy with headache and could do without this. He may well school refuse too - quite what we do then I don't know.

Ours schools didn't do any prep for it. I don't think either of mine would have entered if it required any work

Good luck with house move - when are you moving. We bought and moved last July but still have to finish work on old property and sell it.

DS got upset last lesson and had to be brought home.

we decided not to do the maths challenge, preparation club clashes with a sports club. plus we are moving and don't need additional stress.

NC. DS had to take a flower to school today for science and this apparently required military level planning and leaving the house an extra 30 minutes early. I suggested he pick one from the garden but no he didn't want to take any of our beautiful flowers, he was searching for free ones. He does love his flowers, had a daisy obsession for years at primary.

How is ds today, Penguin?

Ds has a colouring homework which ds has been refusing to do as his pencils are broken. I've called his bluff and bought him a cheap packet from Sainsbury's today. I am going to be one mean mum!

Mind you, I'm not sure what the point of colouring homework is.

Ds prepared for going back to school by telling me he was sick and dizzy and "really ill" on Sunday night-before eating a huge dinner.
he came through at 5:30am to tell me he thought he might have been sick.

I said "no, you haven't go back to bed." Surprisingly he did this and went to school without too much fuss. He's come home and played with a friend and done some homework, so hopefully he'll be fine for the rest of the week.