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Original poster

Year 12 - first half term DONE.

999 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 19/10/2016 13:25

new thread so we don't get lost. Well done to all our dc whether doing btech (or breach as autocorrect prefers to call it) or a levels. 1/6 of the way through this year. (blimey)

OP posts:
MsMermaid · 27/10/2016 19:24

How many parents evenings will there be muffin? My school only does one per year, so if you missed it that would be it for the year. Other schools seem to have more so it wouldn't really matter. If you rang them and said you couldn't make it and asked the teachers to give you a ring, or email you, I suspect they'd do that for you, but you may want to phrase it as "a prior engagement" rather than "a gig we want to go to". There are always parents who can't come due to work etc and most schools seem quite accommodating.

Icouldbeknitting · 27/10/2016 19:38

Muffin I'd go to the gig and say (quite truthfully) that we had a prior engagement. Sorry and all that but the first one to the calendar gets the slot and if they really want to talk to you the telephone is always an option. You are still entitled to have a social life after giving birth although it's hard enough in the baby years.

TheSecond I've read two out of your three books but not the last one.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 28/10/2016 00:56

Great books, TheSecond right up my street! I read 1984 before 1984, Grin probably about 1980 when I did a comparison with Brave New World as a project for O level English Lit. I read the Margaret Attwood book about 15 years ago and The Road earlier this year. (Not one of my favourites, TBH) There's not many classic dystopian or post-apocalyptic books I haven't read. The Postman is one of my favourites and I loved The Crysalids as a teenager. DS2 had dystopian novels as a topic in Y9 English and I suggested The Tripods series.

Anyway, I was just place marking, really as this had fallen off my threads I'm on. Blush

I must chase up DS2's college for when parents' evening might be. I'm feeling a bit too much out of the loop.

TheSecondOfHerName · 28/10/2016 08:48

EllenJane I have always been drawn to dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction. DS1 was given a list of examples of the genre with about thirty novels on it. I have read all but two!

EllenJanethickerknickers · 28/10/2016 16:17

Ooo, a list! I love a list!

MsMermaid · 29/10/2016 07:57

I've also read the first 2 of those books. I suspect i will have read quite a few of the others on the list (I too love a good list).

Littledrummerghoul · 29/10/2016 22:21

Hi, glad I've found you all. It's been a mad few weeks. Dd (yr7)has been pushed out of her friendship group thanks queen bee and has been needing a lot of support. Thanks to mnet and her personality she moved on, made loads of new supportive friends and generally tried to move on. They aren't making it easy for her though.
Phew, thanks for letting me get that out. Rl friends must be sick of hearing about it now!

Ds1 complained his biology teachers are pointing them in the direction of learning materials and expecting them to get on with it. Thanks to you guys I understand this is the norm and told him he needed to stop complaining and follow the advice- he's in sixth form now. Halloween Wink

Things are looking up for his health, the tentative diagnosis means he is getting appropriate treatment from the physio and it seems to be helping. Halloween Smile This is making him feel happier. He's also secured some work experience in a stable, on the condition he is insured. We can sort this out next week so it's another step towards his planned future.

Thank goodness for half term!

muffinmonster · 30/10/2016 09:23

Littledrummerghoul, that must have been awful for your DD but it sounds as if you've tackled it really well. Good news for your DS, too.

I'm surprised at the number of people who have said skip the parent-teacher meeting and go to the gig! I really thought there was no option but to go to the meeting. I actually put the tickets up for sale on Twicket a couple of weeks back, so I'll mull it over and I can always withdraw the if I want to.

I have been nagging DS for days to get his volunteering sorted for the DofE, but nothing yet. Sigh.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 30/10/2016 12:02

My DS1 volunteered as a young leader at scouts. Would that be a possibility?

MsMermaid · 30/10/2016 14:50

My dd volunteered with an orchestra for primary school pupils. The local youth group keep advertising for young leaders too, specifically 16-18 yos. What about something like that?

muffinmonster · 30/10/2016 15:07

Thanks for the suggestions, Ellen and Mermaid. They both sound good, especially the orchestra as he does a lot of music and I think would find it interesting. I have directed him to the website do-it.org, where there are lots of openings. The hard part is getting him to follow up!

FantasyAndHope · 30/10/2016 16:15

Haven't being on here in a long time, dd is back at school tonight shes dreading it and isn't looking forward to going back I'm not sure why and she won't discuss it.
Sounds awful little dd was like your dd last year, thankfully queenbee has left
We have exams and 2 school trips to look forward to this year, no revision took place as dd had an agonising week with period pains which resulted in one afternoon in A&E/Walk in and shes being left feeling dreadful all week.

FantasyAndHope · 30/10/2016 16:15

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Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/10/2016 17:47

your poor dd fantasy. Sooner that's sorted the better.

We are in denial about tomorrow, dd is playing a game on the playstation. I'm ignoring it all. Been a far busier and stressful week than I anticipated and I've had a rotten cold and cough.

more internal exams for dd in a few weeks. They seem very keen on them in her college and track the results. Don't think she's ever been so measured!

Ok, the term looks quite daunting with some big stuff coming up, so looking towards fun stuff - there is a christmas do for parents and ermm, then there is Christmas!

OP posts:
Shineyshoes10 · 30/10/2016 21:55

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FantasyAndHope · 30/10/2016 22:03

oh
We are trialling some drugs for her period until December
shiney
I have a good feeling it's head of sixth form DD said he's a brilliant teacher and has passion and enthusiasm but he's very awakward and the class feel intidimated by him at times he told DD to be willing to make more mistakes but then if she doesn't understand something says that's simply incorrect as he has taught them methods, Hmm
She won't tell me anyhow but I suspect it's him

raspberryrippleicecream · 30/10/2016 23:02

shiney oops. Maybe next time he will listen!

DD also did DofE with a junior band, which was fun.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 31/10/2016 08:38

I think dd finds it oddly comforting Shiney - it will actually make things easier for their as levels as they will have revised through the year. I can imagine its quite a stressful thought for some though.
doh! for your ds, what a silly twit.

OP posts:
Icouldbeknitting · 31/10/2016 13:25

Oh dear Shiney, is it his writing arm? When Ds broke his it was his non-dominant hand and it didn't seem to affect him all that much. Once he was out of the bulky plaster cast and into a lightweight one it didn't hamper him much.

DS did his homework on Saturday, it's better than leaving it until Sunday so I'll look on it as a step in the right direction. He trundled off this morning without so much as a token moan.

OYBBK I'd love some feedback from college, by testing or otherwise, as I have no idea yet as to whether DS is pitching his efforts at the right level. It's a new start for him so I don't know yet whether they do aim to bring out the best in every student (it's easy to say it..) or whether they will be happy to settle for mid range grades. What I do know is that DS will put in the amount of effort he thinks he needs to and at the moment he doesn't seem think that he needs very much.

Shineyshoes10 · 31/10/2016 14:52

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Icouldbeknitting · 31/10/2016 17:45

Shiney we bought a cast protector so he could still go in the shower, other than that it was business as usual. It will be less painful once the swelling has gone down.

FantasyAndHope · 31/10/2016 19:46

DD rang tonight it was head of sixth that put her in a grump but also because she's fed up of boarding To be honest I think she's just a bit homesick, but she's Got to that age where she's 18 and some of the rules I do have to agree I eyeroll at because of the lack of freedom. But I'm sure she'll get over it well she's kinda of got to

Shineyshoes10 · 31/10/2016 20:45

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FantasyAndHope · 31/10/2016 20:47

Oh for sure shiney but boarding school is a little different imo

MrSlant · 31/10/2016 22:13

I love 1984 (the book, not the year) it's got one of my favourite opening lines of all. I like Aldous Huxley for dystopian futures as well. Just been re-reading Brave New World.

Shiney your parenting sounds a lot like mine! It will heal and he's not going to miss any work as it's his non dominant arm, maybe he will learn to listen never going to happen Grin.

Little, interesting about biology, seems a much more teacher lead subject for DS (or he's faffing around not doing what he should!) they get booklets to work through for every subject but in exams are supposed to use their knowledge on wider topics. I'd better get that on his list for parents evening in two weeks.

First half term report back and his effort has been graded 'excellent' and it's been a long time since we saw that in a report. Predicted AS grades all Cs, wonder if that's a hedge your bets grade. Although there seems to be a big drop in attainment, at least that I've seen in his older friends, at AS so that is a good prediction. He has an A so far for attainment in biology but then they know him and his ability to wander off and forget he's supposed to be learning so that could be them applying sense to the whole procedure Grin

Got the 'come and look at the school and pick us' evening for DS3 coming up. Not sure I dare turn up with another one of them and apologetically explain they've got me for another seven years Grin Grin Grin (because of where we live if we want to educate DS3 through the medium of Welsh then we get in, it's a lot easier round here with the whole school selection lark!)