pfb -in fact only child - off to secondary on Thursday...

OrmIrian - difficult isn't it - you want to ask questions but don't want to "dig". Sometimes when I ask about school I just get "OH I DON'T KNOW", other times (80%) he is willing to talk. I hope it isn't anything serious for your DS.

He told me this morning that yesterday in history, when it came down to putting in his planner what homework was required - he did not have enough room to copy it all down and he has forgotten the rest of the sentance

I have made him take some spare paper in his bag today and said he must ask his friend if he can copy down what the homework is.

Tears this morning! Bugger

He is worried about his hair. It's very long and he loves it like that but I am wondering if someone had been taking the p. The place is full of crew-cutted little thugs so it might be. He has also been told to wear a headband for PE which went down like a lead balloon and he didn't tell us until this morning anyway so too later to do anything about it. And* his first PE lesson was sitting down being talked to which wasn't popular.

But I am worried that something else is lurking behind it all.... will try to grill him this evening.

Ashanti, I got one for DD in Sainsburys last weekend so worth a look there.Hope your DD feels better today Magenta. Polgara, I do hope things went better for your DD yesterday.

Squeakypop, if DD's teacher is like you I will be utterly and completely delighted ! She has taken a dislike to the science teacher after being told off for writing in black ink.

Maybe they will get to the stage with the cookery when we can rely on what they are cooking for our tea ?! Though not for a while with DD as being that bit younger they are spending 3 weeks "finding their way around the kitchen!"

Fingers crossed they all get a decent lunch today, a bit strange having to worry about things like this compared to primary/first school. DD has gone off with money instead of sandwiches and then is planning to join the Harmony singing group afterwards.

PE twice today. Assessments in the morning for the football/netball groups starting next week, then swimming this afternoon.

She joined needlework club on Tuesday and came home clutching two pieces of furry fabric she'd cut into a teddy's head that she wanted to make for DS's birthday tomorrow. Guess who was the mug hiding away from DS in the folding camper outside on the drive sewing the wretched thing ?!

Pizza was ok actually. Looked nice and I had a little taste (just to showing willing you know )

Forgot to say that in DS's pe lesson yesterday, they did tests so the teacher could asses what group they were going to go in - football or rugby. I had to put his trainers through the washing machine - they were wet through and filthy

Ashantai - hope you find a swimsuit - maybe you will have to go to a specialised shop?

Magenta - for your DD for the headache

I'm still doing the freakout thing about my daughter walking to school. She meets her friend at the top of the road and they go together.

I give her a kiss at the door and then run upstairs to my bedroom so i can make sure she meets her friend and walks past

I sit and wait at the kitchen window when she is about to come home, then launch myself on the sofa pretending to be cooly watching tv when she comes in

I need help..........

She has informed me that her PE is gonna be swimming for this term and she needs a swimsuit for Monday!! How in gods name do i find a swimsuit in September when all the shops have their winter stuff out

Glad your DS's pizza was edible Bellavita.

DD came home all tired and with a splitting headache - just hope she's not coming down with any thing! She slept till 7pm, had a bit of tea, had a bath and is now sound asleep again!

She wasn't too impressed with today especially PE - 1st lesson before lunch was tests to see what group she was going to be in. Lesson after lunch was tag rugby which she informs me was "ok I suppose" Just hope she'll be ok tomorrow.

ds1's Maths teacher has told them all off because they are supposed to have calculators. But at the parents' induction day the HT told parents not to buy calculators, because Maths Dept prefer a specific model, and will arrange for us to buy calculators through school

ds1 is less enthusiastic this week, but they have had loads and loads of tests, and they are just getting fed up of them.

ds left his pencil case in the cooking class before lunch, he only realised after when the bell rang to say lunch over (all classrooms are locked).

Luckily, the cookery teacher was just passing by the door as ds was hanging around so she opened it for him and he was able to leg it to the class he was supposed to go into without being late - phew!

He has come home with what looks like a fairly edible pizza - which he is tucking into as I write this!

Him and some other classmates have been told they need extra literacy help (which they will get twice a week) I said it was ok to have extra help tis not a bad thing - at least there is not just him!

Hope everyone elses lo has had a good day

*whispers to Bellavita - I'd have sorted out the cooking ingredients myself too

So far, DS has managed to keep up with the homework doing it as he gets it, slipped a little last night, but the homework left does not need to be in till next Tuesday, so he can do that tonight. Oh and he still has a book to decorate - which he will start this morning.

Usually he gets his bag packed the night before, all his stuff is still on the dining room table this morning - eeeek

Before I went to work last night, I sorted his ingredients out for his cooking lesson today - slap hands - I know he should have done it

Pologra did your DD have a better day yesterday? Hope so!

MAS/Bellavita - Hope both boys either get some lunch or more than a sandwich today! DD has two PE lessons today either side of lunch so she'll be starving!

The homework is coming in thick and fast - not mega loads timewise but she's had homework for Science,Maths,Music and German so far this week! She's being very good about it and getting stuff done the day she gets it - I'm hoping the novelty won't wear off to soon!!!

your

my

well it is late!

polgara for your dd

MAS - for you ds

my my DS who was at the back of the lunch queue today and there was only sandwiches left

I'm a Y7 form tutor and I really do take care of my form, so I hope yours do too.

I check with them at registration which lessons they have in the morning and what books/equipment they need, and do the same at afternoon registration. At the end of the day, I ask them about their homework needs, and query extra large or extra small backpacks. I also check that they have their full school uniform on as they leave, so that we don't start generating lost property now.

I pop into lunch to (discretely) check that no one is sitting on her own, and that they are all eating enough.

During the day, when I see them around school, I always ask how things are - and thankfully everything has been fine so far.

I really hope my parents aren't worrying about their daughters. It is all in hand.

Gosh MaryAnnSingleton, that would be hard to have to face the afternoon with an empty stomach.

ds1 had another PE day today and it was [mumbles] 'OK', so that's an improvement on Friday at least! And they've been told they're doing indoor PE on Friday, so they don't have to bring in all their kit.

He's lost his first thing today.

Welcome chocolateteapot. I'm posting in here and ds2 is off to middle school as well. It was his first day today and it seemed fine

Only hiccup was I told him to make sure he put his return bus ticket in his wallet or else he would have to pay for another one if he lost it. Well of course he lost it, so he ended up spending £3 on bus fares.

Thank you MaryAnnSingleton. Your poor DS must be starving, I hope next time they try a fire drill it is during class and not lunch. Hard to accept that your child could be in the situation where no one realises they haven't eaten.

It has been a bit of a shock to the system how much they are expected to just get on with things, considering they are 9. But as she isn't in a flap about it atm, I am trying hard not to be and have perfected my not at all worried face when talking to her ! They made it sound like a really gentle introduction to all the moving around etc at the parents meetings but the reality is actually quite different. But they have a much wider range of extra curricular activities which is great and I think they are actually enjoying the freedom they have compared to first school, so I guess they are ready for it really.

Do you mind me sticking my head in ? My DD isn't at secondary school but has just started Middle School. However it is so different to first school and a lot of the things you've been talking about, lunch money, moving round class rooms (though not quite so much), PE bags are all applying. She's got dyspraxia so not great at organisation and the move is quite a big deal for her. They move around far more than I though they would, I was under the impression that most of the time they were in their classroom, which they are on some days but others they are all over the place in the morning.

Disastrous first day last Wednesday where she dropped her jacket potato and tuna on the floor of the canteen. Apparently the caretaker (no idea why) went to help her and she was so upset she was incoherent. My friend has just started as a dinner lady and helped sort her out. She asked her if she'd got lost and DD said she had 5 times. Came out of school without her bag so had to go back and get it. I had completely had it by the end of the day (DS had started first school that day and had fallen in dog poo on the way home !). But things hugely improved and she now seems to be enjoying it and making new friends.

Feel a bit strange atm as don't need to get her until 4.45pm as she's apparently doing needlework club. Also am dreading Thursday as they have two lots of PE on the same day, swimming and netball, so loads of kit to carry.

Polgara, I hope things improve. It is a nightmare when it doesn't go well the first day. Fingers crossed it will be the same as with my DD, bad first day but dramatically improves after that.