GCSE '18s (19) - New Beginnings?

[whistl]

Following on from the GCSE 2018 threads as our DC enter year 12.
This the first thread in our new home in further education

Well I''m with you too Twins. It's not helped by having a class of bright young things who don't seem to have a care in the world whilst I'm feeling distinctly squashed by worrying about the generation above, new ways of working in my main job, tight deadlines to meet in my own business and the usual treading on eggshells with DD. Add onto that hobbling like an old woman after playing tennis last night and inwardly groaning at the thought of playing again in an hour.

I meant to end that huge whinge by asking what's up?

Can't keep up with the thread. Have read through all and wanted to comment but conversations seems to move on by the time I catch up.

This time of our life can be trying. We have the challenges of DC going through unprecedented change, possibly have an older generation ie DPs whose needs are changing, our careers may be at the point where there are pressures as we are not at the start or the end (possibly peaking) and finally we too are going through changes and slowly realising that time doesn't stand still. I wonder how many of us are in this boat? Sometimes circumstances get the better of me and I am just keeping one foot in front of the other.

I also don't know how you all know about how your schools/colleges are running courses. I can barely get my head round what DD is doing and how she is finding things. One of the best things she has said that she is generally glad of the subjects that she has taken. She may drop one at some point as she rules out some of the options for uni. She has thrown herself into extra curricular life and I think I need to sit back with her and help her get perspective. Want to make sure she isn't stretched too thin.

Pannetone I replied earlier but signal too poor.

Re lunch - DD has added a Mocha to her repertoire for social reasons. She tried pizza but it was the "wrong sort".

And just to add completely get the time of life woes.

Sigh.. stockerrocks , eaglefly -

DM who was bereaved last year (my step dad) and DMIL who was bereaved this year (DFIL), so support to them both and DH. And of course stresses of DD.

Had an interview on Monday in the department I work in, I was only candidate and didn’t get it just felt a big fat kick in the teeth. Feeling my age was against me

A bit of empty nest kicking in too as DD needing me less

DS’s activity day was ‘ok’ apparently. He is not an adventurous sort so I am impressed he has done abseiling and high ropes today. And he was pleased his group came second out of the 20 or so in the ‘challenge’ activities - including parachuted egg from the abseil tower!

I am still meant to be putting in for a remark for one of DS’s GCSEs- Geography was one mark off a 9. But it’s not an A level subject and I think I’ve been putting it off to see if DS changes his mind! (DS might be influenced as his friend did the remark on the same Edexcel board - though slightly different specification - and moved up to 9 having also been one mark under)

Just came back from an interesting talk at L6 at school. In particular about why even if you got an 8 at Maths at gcse you.may not get top marks A/A at A level. Apprently you only needed 61% to get an 8/A in Maths so the 39% you may have got wrong was most likely the stretching more difficult stuff which is the basis of A level maths. Once again only 20% needed for a 4/C. Conversely in History you needed 87% for an 8/A* so therefore you are more likely to get better grades.

They had quite a lot of stats and usually email them after so I may be able to report more thoroughly.

Aw Twinplusone that's really tough on the job front. I'm not surprised you are feeling down. Did you get any feedback on why you didn't get it? It's it an option to look elsewhere for somewhere that will value your skills more?

@Twinplusone - sorry to hear that. I'm thinking of a job move / step up as I feel like my career has been stagnating for a bit whilst the DC needed me. Now I feel like I may have left it too late and the years of treading water mean I won't be able to make a step up. I'm only 45!

Heaven knows what to advise DD. She's the most ambitious of my DC but is very clear she wants DC herself one day - but just 2 not 3!

Evening! Had to keep up, but will try!

Ultimate frisbee sounds fun - not heard that mentioned around here at all!
No mention of Young Enterprise here, but have Enrichment in the timetable for one afternoon - not started yet so not sure what DD intends to do.

Anyone had remarks back yet? Heard of some English ones but none of hers have come bac yet to our knowledge.

English Lit includes Othello, A Streetcar Named Desire and another that I cant remember, so a bookshop trip is needed to the local one rather than the chains - like to keep business local. Her history teacher wants to do a trip to St Petersburg cos he fancies going there, but school not too sure!!

Bluebelle - a tired dd here too and in bed by 9.30pm most nights, which makes a change!
Cherrybun - hope resetting in Maths helps and your DS re-finds his love for Maths (my favourite subject!) I do agree with the competent v works hard - I was def in the works hard band and I did Maths and Further maths at A level, with Physics, with not brilliant grades, but then did maths at degree level, so all is not lost.
Ellen similar here too, as a comp not grammar and DD is doing history AS level, as far as we know (I must ask her tomorrow!) and she is enjoying it all so far and using her free periods wisely (for now...)

twin - chin up lovely

Well bedtime for me and hopefully not waking up around 3 or 4am again - must be my age too!

Got in at 9.15 this evening after DD’s netball practice and found DS fast asleep at the kitchen table with his head on his Politics notes! He still hasn’t caught up from his rugby match on Sat, followed by a party - not in til after midnight...

Well, this middle aged lady just went out with 13 other 'ladies of a certain age' to see the stage production of The Full Monty. The whole audience apart from a handful of bemused men were in their prime and screaming with laughter. I fully (see what I did there?) recommend it as an antidote to middle aged invisibility.

I am EllenJane, divorced, 53, embracing my grey hair, overweight, 4 months without a period and never without my fan! I may take to wearing purple. And a hat.

It can be hard to remember what we used to be like when we've been 'Mum' and maybe 'wife' for so long. Our DC are needing us less, so can't this be our time?

I hope you all have a better day tomorrow. I may be a bit tiddly...

Oh Ellen I loved your last post.

Ellen you sounded like you had a fab night, how's the head this morning?

chicken feedback was that I wasn’t dynamic enough. True to an extent, but bullsh*t. Department has reputation of “jobs for the boys” mentality. They interviewed me to tick a box. Have been looking around internally, met up with some bright, young thing to talk about her job she is just leaving. I know it’s not up to her whether I would get her job or not but just felt way if out of my depth due to age, weight etc.

ellen your post made me loved it. Sounds like Full Monty should be prescribed by NHS instead of HRT or anti depressants!! Hope the head isn’t too bad this morning

Ellen good on you. Twins . My joints are still creaking this morning, but I am 48 next week.

twin if it was a box ticking exercise in a department like that, please don't let it get you down. If they were just going through the motions, you would probably still not have got it even if you'd been dynamically cartwheeling your way through the office. It's horrible to go through, but in reality you may well have dodged a bullet and it doesn't mean you are on the shelf.

Well, I'm feeling my age (now you all know it!) this morning! Glad I managed to make some sense, and I do recommend The Full Monty for an injection of optimism. The majority of the audience were middle aged women and all having a really good time. I mix a lot with women around my age so I don't have that comparison with 'bright young things' so immediately in my face, I guess. I do get that invisibility feeling, though. for you, Twin.

Twin for you. Some days it can all feel bad. But I hope another day a fresh perspective may give you strength.

twin so sorry that it didn't work out. I'd be happy to help with interview coaching if it would help though it sounds like you could have done anything.

Dd is flourishing so far and it's good to see. She had a shit time in year 8/9 and the school she was in was great in many ways (ds is still there) but it many had an obsession with being popular so she needed this fresh start.

I could probably do with the same thing.

stickerrocks I’m a1971 baby and creaking...

chicken feeling more positive today and like I have indeed dodged a bullet. Felt down as was only candidate and Head of Department saw me after interview and was reassuring when I mentioned that fluffed one question, so stupidly I took it from that i’d got it. Job readvertised today with extra line that job share would be considered, rumours in the office that someone on maternity leave will get it as she is a favourite of the middle manager...

Thanks for the offer world, not ready for another interview at the moment.

Gosh, what a week. I don't have time at the moment to read all the new messages as it's been manic work wise.

DD is 5 days into her new school and has already changed one of her A level options. Apparently there's been lots of movement in the school including one pupil who turned up for the first day and never came back.

DD signed up to lots of extra curricular activities and has made loads of new friends. Plus her train has been on time every day. Long may it continue!

Twin glad you are feeling more positive.

I'm a 1974 baby but certainly doing my fair share of creaking. On the plus side I got all my hot flushes out the way years ago . I like to be ahead of the game so I went through menopause at 36. I like to think I'm a trailblazer!

It wasn't a good thing at the time (I still wanted another baby) and it made me feel very old but now I'm glad it's over with.

Also most of my friends and colleagues are 5-10 years older than me so I feel quite young