Page 16 | New Year 12 starters parent support thread (snappy title eh?)

FantasyAndHope · 10/09/2016 13:25

oh
DD is doing work currently she's yawning her head off

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 10/09/2016 13:37

DS1 is not working today. He's sitting with DH, DS2 and a huge pile of cables. They're getting out all the retro games consoles in this house but I'm not sure what they plan to do with them. I suspect it involves turning the spare room into a palace of old videogame nonsense.

So far they have covered the kitchen floor in: 2 PlayStation 2s, an Xbox, 2 xbox360s, a sega dreamcast, a sega gamegear, a Nintendo 64, a GameCube, a sega Genesis, a gameboy advance, a Nintendo DS and a DS1, a PSP, and probably other things I'm not even aware of. There's talk of a SNES emulator too.

cloudyday99 · 10/09/2016 13:57

Well, DSD has dropped one subject already. Psychology, which I always thought she'd find a bit sciency, which was what she found. But she seems to be enjoying her other subjects, so that's good.

DS has been doing the college summer work. Because he didn't know which college he was going to until last week, I had printed him out the work set by both. He discovered yesterday that he'd spent two days doing the work for the wrong college! Am sure it's all good practice

NoHaudinMaWheest · 10/09/2016 14:18

DD seemed to have enjoyed most of the induction week in the end. She said that having activities both made it easier to talk to others and encouraged her to do so.
Proper lessons start next week. The maths school has links with the local university who set extension type work which the students research and then do a presentation on. That sounds like good preparation for university?

EllenJanethickerknickers · 10/09/2016 14:37

It does, NoHaudin. My DS1 and 3 would love a specialist maths school. Your DD is lucky. DS2's favourite subject was always maths as well, but I couldn't convince him to do A level maths alongside his BTEC.

No summer work here. It all seems too very relaxed at his college. I shall have to keep an eye on things.

By a weird small town coincidence, one of my old friends who I've recently lost touch with a bit as our kids are at very different ages, rang to say she saw my DS2 at college on his induction day. She got a job last November as a LSW (learning support worker) in the computing dept at the college. She may well be supporting DS2. They first met at her wedding where DS2 was the youngest guest at 2 weeks old!

So I may have a bit of help keeping an eye on him, my own spy in the camp!

NoHaudinMaWheest · 10/09/2016 14:55

Ellen that sounds useful.
Yes dd is very lucky. It is small, seems very flexible and is really near home so dd can 'drive' herself there. And of course there is the maths.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 10/09/2016 14:55

Ellen that sounds useful.
Yes dd is very lucky. It is small, seems very flexible and is really near home so dd can 'drive' herself there. And of course there is the maths.

FantasyAndHope · 10/09/2016 15:50

DD has some reading too do and she came across a group called Okhrana and she is now researching them and there key members seems like the teachers words are getting through to her. Impressed she's doing research of the little things she reads

HesMyLobster · 10/09/2016 16:30

Ellen that does sound very handy!
My friend used to teach at dd's school - I was gutted when she left for a new job the year after DD started there - so inconsiderate of her!
It was extremely useful to have eyes and ears there.
DD was teaching from 9-11 this morning, then dance and rehearsal til 2. She's spent the last 2 hours on homework and says she still has loads
Luckily she has the day off from her waitressing job tomorrow for a dance exam which has been postponed, so has some extra time, but I am back to worrying that she's trying to do too much.
She enjoys both jobs though, and I do think they have been fantastic for her general confidence/social skills.
I've told her we'll see how it goes and re-assess at half term.

FantasyAndHope · 11/09/2016 11:48

hes
Sounds tricky as she'll want to work to earn money and things but ovbiously she could burn out as alevels have more workload than gcses. I'm thankful DD is in boarding school otherwise she would probably get a job and not manage the workload.

littledrummergirl · 11/09/2016 12:15

Ds1 is resistant to the idea of a job. I'm torn between thinking he should be becoming more independent, or that he needs to concentrate on his school work and getting some experience that will help with his veterinarian application.
It's difficult.

He has settled back in well though and is looking forward to starting a proper timetable next week.

HeyBells · 11/09/2016 12:24

Maths school sounds fab.

DS is tired getting back into the routine- it's been so long. I had to wake him up one day, v unusual, and he had to buy breakfast at school.

As he's maths and sciences I'll encourage him to do the EPQ to show he can write or maybe to develop his creative side. His school did a KS3 version so he's got some idea of what it's like at a lower level. If he doesn't want to or doesn't think he'll have enough time it's not the end of the world.

Not sure of my view on a job. Until now DS is the type who doesn't socialise outside school and doesn't spend much. But I think it's useful for cv and social skills.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 12/09/2016 10:17

So it's Monday. Again.

We keep musing over dd getting a job. She has really long days in the week, it would have to be on a Saturday. Ideally one with not an early start. She also sometimes goes away for a week or longer with extra curricular stuff . A job in a shop would probably not appreciate that. A bit stumped as to what she could do really.

OP posts:

FantasyAndHope · 12/09/2016 10:24

So it's Monday and two of DDs friends have returned they didn't like the college they were at. DD is delighted! It has made her day!

ExitPursuedBySpartacus · 12/09/2016 10:43

DDs job in the bakers is pretty flexible - they are ok about her taking time off for holidays, festivals etc.

And the added bonus of cake and pies.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 12/09/2016 12:50

that sounds like a good job Exit! maybe small companies are the way to go.
hmmmm, just thought of one shop she could apply to....

OP posts:

Icouldbeknitting · 12/09/2016 15:10

Day one and I have an emailed photo of the timetable supposedly so I can write it on the chalkboard door but really so I can prepare my negotiation strategy. I am offering to bring him home from college on Thursday lunchtime providing he goes in and out on the bus the rest of the time. I'm hoping that he jumps at the prospect of Thursday afternoon "off" and thereby commits to spending the rest of the study periods in college. There's one day where he has a three and a half hour gap and I'm guessing that he will end up doing some work then out of boredom.

His timetable could have been far worse, I'm pleased with how it's worked out (I doubt he will be when faced with two and a half hours of English last thing in the afternoon)

needastrongone · 12/09/2016 15:43

I've been mulling the job thing too. And moving towards the idea that DS has plenty enough study time in school to cope with some extra hours earning some pennies.

He's 17 on Wednesday. We've agreed to a course of driving lessons for his present. Our dilemma is the car. Mine is a company car, and DH's is expensive, meaning insurance will be extortionate or impossible for a 17 y/old. Both are automatic too.

Wondering if buying cheap car might be the better option. It would take ages to learn just having a weekly lesson. Not sure? Or he can lump it and not learn, which hardly seems fair, as DD has an expensive equine hobby. DS has been cheap as chip to maintain so far.

I'm waiting for him to get back from school to see how it went.

needastrongone · 12/09/2016 15:46

Ps. I'm pleased for your DD Exit, that some friends have returned. Did they feel the same as her, do you think?

This job thing, I just always worked, from about aged 13. My parents didn't have the cash to give me much and it didn't enter my head not to work. Same for DH. But times are different now I guess.

ExitPursuedBySpartacus · 12/09/2016 16:00

We were going to buy DD a car but now that she has returned to the fee paying school we have said she will have to forgo the car. But we both have automatics so she will not get any driving practice - although a friend of mine has 3 children who all passed with no additional practice outside of lessons as they couldn't afford to insure their cars for them.

But if we don't get her a car then we continue to act as unpaid chauffeurs for the foreseeable.

It seems no one likes the sixth form college

FantasyAndHope · 12/09/2016 16:39

DDs friends have said its a relief to be back in a much nicer environment. DD is thrilled to have them back
Driving lessons well DD turned 17 last year and didn't want to drive she turns 18 next Wednesday still not interested I've asked her and tried persuading her she's made a compromise that she'll learn next year as she'll be heading to uni. Although she still hasn't told me what she wants for her 18th and I'm at a complete loss as to what to get her

EllenJanethickerknickers · 12/09/2016 16:41

My DS1 passed after thousands lots of lessons, but I can't afford to insure him in my car, so he's never driven since.

The thought of DS2 driving is positively terrifying. I think I might wait a year or two or three...

HesMyLobster · 12/09/2016 17:11

Such a coincidence but I've just arrived home from work to find a strange ford ka sitting on the drive!
Turns out dh bought it from "a mate in the pub" at the weekend! DD isn't 17 until May but apparently it was such a bargain he just had to snap it up! Can't wait to see her face when she gets home!

HesMyLobster · 12/09/2016 17:12

Fantasy so happy for your DD that some of her friends have come back!

needastrongone · 12/09/2016 17:28

Sorry, I meant Fantasy in my previous post, a little too much multi-tasking to catch up after a weekend away in a field.

I'm going to send DH to the pub tonight then Lobster if he comes back with a car.