Y11 2025/26 The Final Stretch

I've worked in factories all my life @MayasJamas and my son came out with a right load of swear words the other day. I looked at him and said "I guess that's my fault". 😬

For all of the stress, I adore my son at this age. He's in this glorious point where he's part adult, so can laugh at Deadpool with me and part kid who likes nothing more than a pack of Haribo and will still give me a hug. I'm very aware that it might not last for long. And I'm also incredibly grateful he's not inherited my deep anxieties in life.

I share custody with his Dad and for a long time when he was with me, it was just me and him. We went on holiday the two of us, spent time in London together, went to museums, we'd have these deep intense chats about life from when he was quite little. It's kind of scary seeing him taking so much more independence away from me but also I'm super proud of him.

Dd said crossly the other day ‘you act like you know more than me in English!’ Erm…. She also announced extravagantly ‘fuck everything!’ as she opened her laptop yesterday (we are fine about swearing).
Bless them 😆 I am finding the intense stroppiness quite endearing in a way. She always wants a cuddle a minute later.

I was talking with my OH recently about this. My DS is SO much more confident than I was at his age. And opinionated! I love it that he has the confidence in it all. And he's a smart kid. I wish I was as confident as he is now! So if that means he doesn't need or want my help, well, easy life for me!

This is common! I was a design technology teacher and my husband is maths and science... we've often helped our colleagues kids for the same reasons but rarely our own 😆

@UncomfortableSilenceOh my, I can't stand a clicky keyboard at the best of times but especially when I'm stressed! My husband works from home and has one! There's no clicking from my daughter which probably isn't the best sign either! I'm trusting that it'll all work out!
I'm glad the prom dress arrived, that's definitely something to look forward to. I'll share a photo of hers when it's done. I still worry that she won't like it or something will go wrong but so far so good!
Speaking of Kalms, my daughter survived on Rescue Remedy to get her through going back to school, worked a treat! I hope you get some breaks too!
Good luck for all those exams in the first week, it's a lot! Do you think she's putting a lot of pressure on herself for the Eng Lit? Sometimes it comes from the teachers or their own high standards. You're definitely best leaving her to it, I'm sure she'll smash them all!

I’m an English teacher and my dd ESPECIALLY won’t accept help with English from me 😆 At least they know their own minds!

@FlyingPandasOh I love your profile name... although I hope it's not related to the same PANDAS that we deal with! Not so cute! Thank you for your warm welcome 🤗 11:11 ✨

She is indeed hoping to do textiles at college. She needs to pass all of her exams as she's only sitting the basics. I'm not sure if she can but I'm hoping she gets on anyway. She needs to put a portfolio together to show her creative skills and I'm trying to help her as I'm a qualified design technology teacher but she never accepts my help 😆 She's happy to do an art course for a year if she doesn't get a place so I'm pretty happy with that and hoping it takes the pressure off for her. I really don't want her to have resists to follow her but remembering how far she's come gives a little perspective! She had to learn to totally function again over the last 5 years which is absolutely incredible 🤩

Welcome @aspacefordifference your DD sounds amazing. Is she hoping to go on and study textiles at college?

@MayasJamas no testing requested for DS either and tbh I can’t remember asking anyone to test me when I was revising anything either. It was notes all the way. I suspect DS would be very resistant to any offers of testing help! He makes notes / flashcards for English lit quotes and Greek vocab, but for other subjects he prefers to do past papers and then review anything he’s not got right. I think at this stage they’ve just got to go with whatever they’re comfiest with.

DS has two exams this week, both English, about which he seems pretty relaxed. Greek is the one he’s most worried about I think mainly because there’s so much vocab to learn and he’s cramming a two year course into one. His MFL (German) is three quarters done already though with only the reading paper to go! He has more exams before half term than after, but most of his maths and science papers (A level choices) are after half term which he’s pleased about. So like other students he’s temporarily shelved some subjects in order to focus on the ones that happen before half term.

Ha, DS is resistant to making notes but will test himself or ask / be happy for us to test him 😄.

I find it difficult not to try to get him to revise the way I like to revise - I do make suggestions, but I also remind myself that he got through his mock exams etc.

@MayasJamas and @Funkylights my DS has refused any help from me in the slightest. He tells me he's testing himself and I've printed out some past papers for him but he's also had loads from school.

I think he's ok? He's pretty stubborn as I am too. I remember my Dad trying to explain something to me in science and the explanation not just being confusing but I actually think, wrong. So I'm very wary that even in my degree subject, I might not have up to date information, it might be taught differently or I might just not remember. Frankly, if anything he's brighter than me and I have a PhD. It's slightly embarrassing sometimes to be blown out of the water by someone over 30 years younger but also I'm really proud of him for doing so.

@Lemonthyme exactly that. Bye bye Spanish history etc Just a shame her most hated subject is one of the last to go!

@MayasJamas my DD refuses point blank any help or interference

I shared with my DS that I used to use white tack to put posters about some things I needed to learn by rote on my walls. Then there was the catharsis of tearing down all of that subject once the exam was done. He didn't like the idea but I found the process of making them, looking at them when they were up and tearing them down all helpful.

Is anyone else’s child quite resistant to testing themselves/being tested on revision? Dd makes absolutely loads of notes, but (apart from Spanish speaking - done now, thank god) refuses to let me test her or test herself. This seems a risky strategy. But she’ll not be persuaded!

Wow, you must be so proud of her ❤️

Anyone else looking forward to chucking piles of revision papers and notes in the bin as they finish certain subjects?!?!
it’s going to give me a lot of pleasure !

Thanks for the encouragement folks !
DS2 worked about 10-3 yesterday - but he looks shattered this morning . Hoping he finds a good middle ground soon .

Thank you! 😊 I can't wait to see her in it and share photos... although she probably won't let me haha. She wasn't able to study textiles at school as they prioritised core subjects which includes RE and that's as much as her energy allows. It kinda made me sad that she's worked to hard to attend school but couldn't follow any of her interests. She's really not enjoyed a lot of lessons and has debilitating anxiety. But in her own time she makes her own clothes and is always creating things in her bedroom. She can't socialise the way other teens do so this is her outlet. She honestly blows me away :)

Wow kudos to her! I’d love to see the prom dress she’s made! That’s amazing that she still doing the core subjects xx

Hi, I'm new here. My daughter finished school for study leave on Friday and I'm feeling super emotional. She missed over 4 years of school as she has PANDAS and she's only part time doing core subjects but I've every hope that she'll do well. She's making her own prom dress which is think is incredible! She's hoping to go on and study textiles at college.

They’ve all got their things haven’t they! Essay subjects all the way here. Dd practically vomits at the idea of chemistry and physics! I really need to get her to do some maths for next week.

one week today they’ll be lining up outside the hall 😬😬😬

@36and3 DD is similar but for her it's biology. She just finds it much easier to revise for science than essay subjects so am trying to remind her to do since English and History alongside the bio and maths!

She also doesn't seem to think she needs to do much for German and Drama which are her first two. I hope she's right!

It's not too late to make a difference. He can still work his absolute hardest from now on and he will get better marks.

@waitingquietly I’m really sorry if my ‘reap what they sow’ comment was insensitive. I meant it in relation to those who have been working all hours and are fretting about what they can do now to get top grades, more of a reassuring thing than a voice of doom. I can see it would sound negative though.