Y11 2023-24 thread 4

DD will not be allowed to embark on her celebration tea until the “last day in uniform” photo has been taken!

I feel your pain... same response here 😂

I have tried to take a photo of DS in uniform for the last time. He, of course, said no.

Just taken one back for the penultimate exam, the other decided to stay at school between exams and then all done for her.

@steppemum I think the “lasts” are every bit as poignant as the “firsts” in parenting.

DD is giddy despite still having further maths next week and despite discovering this morning that she hadn’t been taught all the required physics practicals. Thank God for freesciencelessons. I’m guessing that there’s been more phone scrolling going on in her room than revising!!

was very strange waving dd off this morning.

After 11 years of having 1, 2 or 3 kids heading off to catch a train every morning, this was the very last time. Felt quite emotional.

Dd really looking for a fresh start in sixth form, at a new college and new friends.
I am really hoping that it works for her.

DD has left for her last exam. YAY! Sympathies to all who have to limp on into next week. Next week brings a leavers' assembly and Prom for us. Thank you for the supportive thread - am sure I will be checking in again as results day approaches!

AQA Geog 3 was apparently straightforward. Just Physics 2 to go and that’ll be a wrap!

anyone else's DC do course work sequentially - mine did and teacher for Physics did not manage to get to end of syllabus - so today will be interesting..... Geog fieldwork was also really badly done as a result of teacher churn.

Ask DT teachers...

This past year has been better for DS, prior to this I was worried but last summer he started going our with groups of different people (but also has a lovely core group of friends) and met a girl who he has been seeing for almost a year now. he's become slightly more outgoing and his sport has widened that friendship circle too. I think he might struggle if/when he goes to university as it will likely be a starting over situation and he is quite shy in reality.

My DS is the same - since being at secondary he has spent very limited time at friends houses and the same for friends coming to us and like you it's not through lack of invites! They do tend to meet a bit at a boy who has a shed/summerhouse in his garden though. We live in a leafy village slightly inland from a a coastal city, many of his friends live in lovely houses so I don't think in this case it's about economics. I can't put my finger on what it's down to though!

It is the biggest difference between me and my kids. I was for ever in friends' houses growing up or them in mine. My DC have never been inside the houses of 95 percent of their friends. And the friends have very rarely come here, despite invites. Just not the done thing. I think it is to do with centre of city and people having small flats. But I wonder too about ethnic diversity and worries about food cultures or being judged? I grew up in a pretty ethnically homogenous suburb. Was that the difference? But I think maybe it is more to do with being poor? I don't know. Or is it to do with online culture? I can't explain it but it is so very different.

Yes, we havent had very much at all. At her age my firends and I were in and out of eachothers houses all the time and going out to parties etc. They just spend more time online I think. In big cities they have a very ethnically diverse set of friends as well so that can lead to less going out generally.

I'm seeing college as a fresh start, mine has got other things on over the summer not including a social life so will be kept busy. When is us at college he will be with more like minded people.

Anyone else slightly concerned about the social life of their DC. The school she goes to doesn't really have a 'going out' culture due to strict parents so most friends are simply not allowed. I hope in college it is different as she struggled with friends a bit anyway

The only time DS has drunk alcohol has been at the rugby with his friends and their dads. Frankly, it's the dad's more than the boys. Last Saturday after the Premiership final DP was very merry and DS said he'd had one "but most of it got spilt on X's mullet anyway" (I didn't ask).

Like many of you all I was happily going to pubs and clubs at 16 so I'd feel fairly hypocritical to try and warn DS off entirely. We've had the drugs and sex talk though of course - plus they've had this in PSHE for years.

DS and his friends have formed a Euros 2024 group where they plan to go to one of the groups houses to watch the football. What DS knows about football can be written on one small postcard, but I'm glad he's joining in and have happily offered to let him invite his friends to ours to watch a match or two. I'll stock up on pizzas, crisps and fizzy drinks.

No booze here either as yet. None of his friends are interested either.

I can actually see this summer being a bit of a sea change generally. They have a long time off, and DS has grown up a lot in the last 6 months.
So we shall see.

We need to have a substance (and sex) conversation pre Leeds festival anyway, so the time is probably right. I might broach it when we are on holiday.

DS has been invited to his first ever 'gathering' next Wednesday which he is keen to go to but I expect there will be alcohol involved. Like many of you brought up away from the online era, we were out partying a lot and drinking (at pubs before 16! 😬), so I'm not overly concerned. He's tried lager and wine before and isn't that keen tbh, his brother has warned him away from the spirits quite wisely for a 20yo! 😂

@MonkeyTennis34 Oh absolutely! I was clubbing at that age, benefits of being tall and growing up in the 80s/90s 😁

Last day for us too, I am so glad it's over! Sympathies for those of you who have children sitting more next week - with art as well, it feels like it's been going on for about 4 months now!

@Pharos
I think she's been drinking a bit at a couple of beach parties

The last time I picked her up from one she definitely smelt a bit of alcohol but didn't seem drunk.

She tells me that some of her friends' parents give them alcohol to take to the party...

I can't judge too much as I was drinking in pubs at her age but it's more worrying as a parent 😂

The last ever day of GCSEs in this house, woo hoo! Ds was very chipper going off, has a full day of exams then his girlfriend’s coming back here for pizza.

@MonkeyTennis34 He’s not really into drinking yet, although plenty in his year are. He’s seen some of his mates get completely steaming at parties and the ‘being out of control’ bit just doesn’t appeal, he also doesn’t like the taste. None of my older ones were drinkers when younger, that changed at uni…

Mine is totally disinterested in alcohol although perhaps that’s because we live in a community where many don’t drink for cultural reasons so maybe that’s why.