Morning all
I am now up after going back to bed at 6am when DH left. Three days out shopping, walking, travelling etc has really done me in. Think yesterday was my last big shopping spree, mind you I hardly got anything, a book to read and a year planner . Colchester was lovely (checking it out as a potential place to move to, as I have all the others) but not much new in the way of baby bargains I'm afraid. Spent most of the day sussing out the area (loads of walking) and sitting in Costa Coffee reading - that I enjoyed immensly!!!!
Wednesday was great though - really good meeting up with friend over a gorgeous lunch. I don't know how any of you manage with public transport anymore though!!! As I tried to get on a bus a 'city gent' type completely barged in front of me - I mean elbow in my chest, then as he went past knocked me backwards by hitting his bag into my bump, I could have killed him even more for the fact he was such a stuck up toff - he was on his phone saying what a ggggoorrrggeeouuussss time he had had on the river luvvvyyyyy and how much 'of the green stuff' (his words not mine) he had made by doing nothing, this was to his friend 'Impy' WTF. I din't know what to do and Bus driver man just stood there shocked, but gave me a pat on the back. I called after him something about gentlemen left in the world - but doubt he would ever think it was aimed at him! Anyway then I went to get on a train home and found I got to the station at 8 and the train left at 8.02 - I managed to powerwalk (actually beating suited businessmen) onto the train just as it was about to pull away, I couldn't believe the power I still had!!!!
Last night was another hospital anetenatal and DH and I left his work early in order to be there as we were told last week he would be needed, ie positions breathing etc. Got to hospital to find a physiotherapist lecturing us for the whole evening - it was so 1950's she even called us all mummys and daddys everytime she reffered to us ie, 'I think that mummy needs a drink' and Daddy's you may now take your mummys home'. It wasn't the most lively of sessions but her 50's way of talking mixed with our 00's brains made it hilarious especially when she got on to telling daddys to practise their massage techniques at home behind closed doors, and 'had they tried the hard storking as a technique' (she was talking about practising for massage during labour on your thigh, we were not!!!!!) She did not see what was funny !!!! Did learn quite a bit about how to stand, sit, lie, get up, exercises to do etc and what SPD is why it happens and how to avoid it and not irritate it, which I found valuable but not much else. I enjoyed the sciency parts as love understanding about these things. Did not like the fact that she expected us all to give birth lying flat on our backs though.
Anyway brill NCT is Saturday so I will post more useful info after that.
Today will definitely be a day of doing as little as possible and I am truly looking forward to it!!!!
Right onto your messages, now I have bored you to tears with mine!!!!!!!
Twinkle - in year 2 homework is actually not compulsary, it does not become compulsary until key stage 2, so year 3, so there are no time guidelines (when I say compulsary it is never really compulsary as if a school does not agree with giving it, they do not have to) Anyway for KS2 - year 3 - the guidelines state no more than 1/2 an hour, half of which should be reading a night. Some schools do treat this differently by giving 10mins of reading most nights and then an hours practical homework 1-2 times a week. However 90mins a night is NOT acceptable. If you like, the 'normal' should be 10-15mins reading everynight, a quick spelling practice most nights and a maths sheet once a week - usually given Monday to be returned Friday. There might also be a quick question and answer session on number bonds or tables that can be done in the car on the way to school.
So as far as I can see the amount your son is getting is excessive - the way to play it with the teacher (or the way I see you getting best results) is this; Go in bright and brezzy, say how you are pleased with (at least 2 things - how he has settled in, how he loves pe) then ask how she thinks your son has settled in, becuase of your positive response she should react in a positive way (at least to start with) She will love the fact that you are happy - you will have stroked her ego a bit! Then react to what she has to say. I'd then go and say that you would like some clarification about the homework as you are doing your best to help your son and do not want to 'get it wrong' asking for advice will get her talking about where she is coming from and won't make her feel you are questioning her authority - teachers tend to get a little standoffish if you question them, and it can make them stand their ground, go defensive and not want to help. Just say the homework is very different from year 1 is this right. Tell her what your son is doing each night, how long it is taking him and how it is making him feel - especially the reading. Ask if that is normal right - treat her like a doctor!!! She should say 'oh dear it shouldn't be taking that long, I didn't realise, lets see what we can do.' or ' Oh no, the maths doesn't have to be done until Friday it is one sum a day, or 'oh no, the spellings/harder reading book is only once a week' etc. If she says 'Well that is because 'Little Johnny' didn't do his maths in class so he has to do it for homework' ask her why he didn't do it in class, etc get to the root of the problem. In the very unlikely even that she says '90mins a night is a perfectly normal amount of homeowrk for a child in year 2' then you say that it is effecting your childs 'whole' (very important word) development, he is not sleeping, he is worrying, not playing, hating reading, not wanting to go to school etc. And if this doesn't change her attitude leave the topic for the moment as she will not budge at this time. THIS IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, teachers know that parental involvement is VITAL in the success of their class.
If all goes well say that you would like to help monitor your sons homework and help as much as possible and so would it be ok to write messages in his homeowrk diary to help her - such as 'Johnny' did his reading for 10mins but tried his maths for 30mins before I told him to stop. Writing these mesaages in the diary will help her to see that homeowrk is being done and where dificulties are arising.
If all does not go well, stop your son doing homework after 30-40mins and write a massage in the diary everyday saying what your son has done and how long it took and why you stopped him. Then let her take the next step - this way your son is not getting overloaded, you are aiding your son, you are keeping the school informed and you have evidence!
Sorry this was so long Twinkle I hope it helps. Teachers are human and do generally want to help, however, some primary school teachers can definitely be a different breed of human at times, they generally love the power they have and can appear to look down on you, when actually you hold the power! I have seen this so many time in so many schools it is unbelievebale. There are more of us out there now though that see parents as being vital not a nuisance. Keep me informed!
As for everyone else - thanks for your messages about me being a 'busy bee' etc, they really made me feel a 'buzz' am going to settle on a flower now and rest though!
ChaCha - hope bubs is not doing any olympic gymnastics today!!
Nova - I'd be really upset about my antenal if I'd paid that much too, I thought you were paying for qulaity and reassurance!!!! Oh well at least you will look back and laugh after!!! Oh and I got a leaflet about cats and babies - ie, introducing them etc, have you got one?
Beks - Hope you are happy again today and looking forward to a lovely weekend!
Sorry if I've forgotton anyone else - I imagine you are all asleep now anyway
Right better go
33 weeks today!!!!!